tihxaxy  of  €he  theological  ^tmimry 

PRINCETON  •  NEW  JERSEY 
PRESENTED  BY 

The  Estate  of  the 
Rev.  John  B.  Wiedinger 


Of  PB/*^ 


Paul's  Le 


/    By 
David  James  TBurrell,  D.  D.,  LL.  D, 

Author  of  "Paul's  Companions,"  "Paul's  Campaigns," 
"The  Apostles'   Creed,"  "We  Would  See  Jesus," 
"The  Old-Time  Religion,"  "At  the  Gate  Beau- 
tiful," "The  Cloister  Book,"  "The  Resur- 
rection and  the  Life  Beyond," 
etc.,  etc, 


American  Tract  Society 

Park  Avenue  and  40th  Street 
New  York 


Copyright,  1921, 
By  American  Thact  Society 


INTRODUCTION 

If  any  one  is  looking  for  a  critical  exposition 
of  Paul's  Epistles  he  will  not  find  it  here.  The 
Author's  desire  has  been  to  show  forth  the  main 
purpose  of  the  Apostle  in  writing  these  won- 
derful letters,  so  far  forth  as  would  be  likely  to 
whet  the  appetite  for  a  deeper  study  of  them. 
God  speed  the  little  book  to  that  end! 


PREFACE 

"LETTERS  WEIGHTY  AND  POWERFUL." 
2  Cor.  10:9 

The  conversion  of  Paul,  his  divine  call  to  the 
apostolate  and  his  separation  to  the  special  task 
of  reducing  the  teachings  of  Christ  to  sys- 
tematic form  are  one  of  the  supreme  evidences 
of  God's  providential  care  of  his  people.  The 
preaching  of  Christ,  for  obvious  reasons,  was 
in  popular  terms;  for  the  uses  of  succeeding 
ages  (as  theologians  would  say,  for  didactics 
and  apologetics)  it  must  be  welded  into  logical 
unity.  For  this  task  who  would  be  so  well 
qualified  as  Saul  of  Tarsus,  a  graduate  of  the 
University  of  Jerusalem,  brought  up  at  the  feet 
of  Gamaliel,  versed  in  Rabbinical  lore  and  in 
Greek  philosophy,  the  most  skillful  dialectician 
of  his  time?  God  wanted  him;  and,  when  God 
wants  a  man,  the  man  is  forthcoming.  God 
called  him  on  the  way  down  to  Damascus,  and 
the  answer  was  immediate,  "What  wilt  thou 
have  me  to  do?"  God  showed  him  his  task;  and 
his  Epistles  are  the  result.  The  feeble  voice  of 
Paul  was  silenced  centuries  ago ;  but  the  letters 

V 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

that  he  wrote  with  his  tremulous  old  hand,  sur- 
viving the  tooth  of  time  and  razure  of  oblivion, 
abide  as  fingerposts  of  the  centuries  pointing 
to  Christ  as  the  Way,  the  Truth  and  the  Life. 

It  will  be  observed  that  the  Epistles  are  not 
treated  in  the  chronological  order  of  their  com- 
position but  as  they  occur  in  the  Canon.  The 
reasons  for  this  are  obvious  and  seem  to  over- 
balance whatever  may  be  said  against  it. 

It  will  also  be  observed  that  no  attempt  is 
made  to  treat  the  Epistles  exegetically,  but 
only  to  present  such  a  broad  outline  as  may 
incline  the  reader  to  go  more  deeply  into  them. 


VI 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER 

I.  The  Epistle  to  the  Romans 

II.  First  Corinthians 

III.  Second  Corinthians 

IV.  The  Epistle  to  the  Galatians 
V.  The   Epistle  to  the  Ephesians 

VI.  The  Epistle  to  the  Philippians 

VII.  The   Epistle  to  the  Colossians 

VIII.  First  Thessalonians 

IX.  Second   Thessalonians 

X.  First  Timothy 

XI.  Second  Timothy    . 

XII.  The  Epistle  to  Titus 

XIII.  The  Epistle  to  Philemon 

XIV.  The  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews 


PAGE 

1 

17 

30 

43 

59 

71 

84 

94 

107 

118 

129 

136 

145 

160 


vn 


"His  letters,  say  they,  are  weighty  and  pow- 
erful; but  his  bodily  presence  is  weak  and  his 
speech  contemptible."    2  Cor.  10:10. 


VIII 


Paul's  Letters 


THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  ROMANS 
THE  GOSPEL  IN  A  NUTSHELL 

This  Epistle  was  written  from  Corinth, 
A.  D.  58;  that  is,  more  than  a  score  of  years 
after  Paul's  conversion.  What  had  he  been 
doing  in  the  meantime?  Not  writing  letters 
certainly;  he  had  been  too  busily  engaged  in 
carrying  on  his  evangelistic  campaigns.  He 
had  now  reached  Corinth  on  his  third  mission- 
ary journey,  and  he  had  no  doubt  begun  to  feel 
the  flagging  of  his  physical  strength.  It  may 
have  been  the  consequent  need  of  rest  that  gave 
him  larger  freedom  with  his  pen.  He  had  pre- 
viously written  only  two  inspired  letters  (First 
and  Second  Thessalonians) ;  but  from  now  on 
we  shall  find  him,  under  the  guidance  of  the 
Spirit,  corresponding  not  infrequently  with 
the  churches  and  personal  friends. 

1 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

The  early  history  of  the  Roman  Church  is 
lost  in  obscurity.  Possibly  it  was  founded  by 
those  "strangers  of  Rome"  who  were  present 
in  Jerusalem  at  the  Pentecostal  effusion  of  the 
Spirit  (Acts  2:10),  who  would  naturally  keep 
up  their  new-found  religion  on  returning  to 
their  homes.  In  the  reign  of  Claudius  (A.  D. 
41-54)  this  church  was  so  much  in  evidence  that 
many  of  its  members  were  expelled  from  the 
city  for  their  loyalty  to  Christ.  Among  these 
were  the  two  tentmakers,  Aquila  and  Priscilla, 
who  were  settled  in  Corinth  when  this  letter 
was  written.  It  was  from  them,  doubtless,  that 
Paul  had  received  much  of  his  information  con- 
cerning this  persecuted  flock. 

It  was  now  four  years  since  he  had  set  out 
on  his  third  missionary  journey,  in  which  he 
had  two  objects  in  view.  For  one  thing,  he  was 
acting  as  a  sort  of  Field  Secretary  for  the 
relief  of  the  famine-stricken  members  of  the 
mother  church  in  Jerusalem.  It  must  be  re- 
membered that  Paul,  the  Jew,  never  lost  his 
vital  interest  in  the  welfare  of  his  countrymen; 
as  the  divinely  commissioned  Apostle  to  the 
Gentiles,  he  was  still  profoundly  concerned  for 
them.    By  making  this  appeal  to  the  Gentiles 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

for  the  relief  of  suffering  Jews,  he  hoped  to 
unite  both  factions  of  the  church.  Love  like 
this  is  the  "one  touch  of  nature"  that  *makes 
the  whole  world  kin." 

But  this  "drive"  for  famine  relief  was  wholly 
subordinate  to  his  prime  purpose,  namely,  the 
preaching  of  the  Gospel.  For  this  he  had  been 
"sent"  and  "separated";  so  that,  whatever  of 
so-called  social  service  he  might  render  on  side 
lines,  he  could  by  no  means  nor  in  any  measure 
be  diverted  for  a  moment  from  his  commission 
"to  seek  and  save  the  lost"  by  bringing  them 
to  a  saving  knowledge  of  the  grace  of  God. 

In  this  Epistle  we  have  a  comprehensive 
view  of  the  whole  doctrinal  system  of  our  re- 
ligion. And  here  we  happen  upon  a  noteworthy 
fact,  to  wit,  that  Christianity  is  the  only  one 
of  the  so-called  great  religions  of  the  world 
that  is  capable  of  being  reduced  to  a  system. 
No  such  thing  as  real  unity  is  claimed  for 
Islamism  or  Buddhism  or  Confucianism,  their 
inconsistencies  being  freely  admitted  and  ex- 
cused in  many  ways.  But  the  essential  truths 
of  Scripture  hang  together  like  the  links  of  an 
endless  chain,  so  that  if  one  link  be  broken  the 
whole  falls  asunder. 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

INTRODUCTION;  GOING  TO  ROME 
Chaptee  1:1-17 

The  Epistle  begins  (as  it  ends)  with  Paul's 
familiar  countersign,  "Grace  to  you,  and 
peace,"  and  then  sets  forth  the  Apostle's  desire 
and  purpose  to  visit  Rome.  For  years  he  had 
been  directing  his  course  that  way.  Twice  he 
had  set  out  with  his  face  toward  the  Imperial 
City  and  been  baffled ;  now,  for  the  third  time, 
he  cherished  the  hope  of  reaching  it. 

This  was  for  two  reasons.  One  was  that 
Rome  was  the  center  of  the  civilized  world.  If 
he  could  preach  the  Gospel  from  that  coign  of 
vantage  it  would  sound  forth  to  the  uttermost 
parts  of  the  earth.  No  man  was  ever  more 
ambitious  than  Paul  to  extend  his  influence  as 
far  as  possible ;  for  he  realized,  as  every  Chris- 
tian should,  that  in  making  the  most  of  himself 
as  an  Ambassador  of  Christ  he  would  be  ren- 
dering the  best  possible  service  to  his  divine 
Lord. 

The  other  reason  was  because  the  church  in 
Rome  had  a  very  special  interest  for  him.  It 
was  made  up  of  Jews  and  Gentiles,  and  on  that 
account  appealed  to  him  both  as  a  loyal  Jew 

4 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

and  as  the  Apostle  to  the  Gentiles.  It  was  the 
very  place  to  demonstrate  the  unifying  power 
of  Christian  love. 

But  Rome  was  out  of  the  question  as  yet. 
In  the  fulness  of  time  he  was  to  arrive  there, 
but  in  a  most  unexpected  way.  He  was  des- 
tined to  be  led  along  the  Appian  Way  in 
chains,  to  wear  out  the  remainder  of  his  life  as 
a  prisoner  in  Rome,  and  die  at  length  beneath 
the  shadow  of  its  walls. 

In  the  meantime,  however,  he  was  held  at 
Corinth  by  a  multiplicity  of  duties  and  must 
make  the  best  of  it.  He  determined  therefore 
to  write  a  letter  to  the  Christians  at  Rome.  It 
so  happened  that  Phoebe,  a  deaconess  of  Cen- 
chrea,  the  nearby  seaport  of  Corinth,  was  about 
to  visit  Rome  on  a  matter  of  personal  business, 
and,  in  the  absence  of  other  postal  facilities, 
the  conveyance  of  the  letter  was  entrusted  to 
her. 

THE   KEYNOTE:    JUSTIFICATION  BY  FAITH 

At  the  outset  the  writer  avows  himself  to  be 
a  servant  of  Jesus  Christ,  "called  to  be  an 
apostle  and  separated  unto  the  Gospel  of 
God" ;  and  he  closes  this  avowal  with  the  ring- 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

ing  words,  "I  am  not  ashamed  of  the  Gospel 
of  Christ,  for  it  is  the  power  of  God  unto  salva- 
tion to  every  one  that  believeth,  to  the  Jew  first 
and  also  to  the  Greek.  For  therein  is  the 
righteousness  of  God  revealed  from  faith  to 
faith;  as  it  is  written,  The  just  shall  live  by 
faithr 

In  1517  Luther,  then  a  monk  in  the  Convent 
at  Erfurt,  went  to  Rome  in  the  hope  of  dispell- 
ing certain  doubts  which  greatly  troubled  him. 
As  he  was  climbing  the  Sancta  Scala  in  Rome, 
telling  his  beads  and  murmuring  Pater  Nosters 
by  way  of  penance,  he  seemed  to  hear  a  Voice 
saying,  "The  just  shall  live  by  faith!"  He 
sprang  to  his  feet  a  new  man  in  Christ  Jesus. 
Thenceforth  he  gave  up  merit-making  and  de- 
voted himself  to  the  preaching  of  this  supreme 
truth.  It  was  with  these  words,  "The  just 
shall  live  by  faith,"  ringing  through  his  brain 
and  conscience  that  he  presently  nailed  his 
ninety-five  theses  to  the  chapel  door  at  Witten- 
berg and  sent  the  thunders  of  the  Reformation 
rolling  around  the  world.  He  called  this  doc- 
trine of  justification  by  faith  articulum  ecclesice 
stantis  aut  cadentis;  that  is,  "the  postulate  of  a 

6 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

standing  or  falling  church";   and  so  it  has 
proved  to  be. 

THE  SINFULNESS  OF  SIN 

Chapters  1 :  18-31 ;  2 

In  the  remainder  of  the  first  two  chapters 
Paul  sets  forth  strongly  the  exceeding  sinful- 
ness of  sin. 

There  are  passages  here  that  are  not  to  be 
read  publicly,  but  only  in  those  trysting-places 
where  a  man  is  alone  with  God.  It  is  a  mistake 
to  think  that  the  whole  Bible  was  intended  to 
be  read  aloud,  either  in  the  sanctuary  or  at  the 
family  altar.  One  of  the  favorite  criticisms  of 
Robert  IngersoU  against  the  Bible  was  that  it 
contains  many  portions  which  his  audience 
would  blush  to  hear.  This  is  quite  true,  and 
incidentally  it  reveals  on  the  part  of  IngersoU 
and  like-minded  people  a  dense  ignorance  of 
the  whole  plan  and  purpose  of  Revelation.  The 
Bible  was  intended  to  touch  human  life  at  every 
single  point  in  its  circumference.  In  making 
its  spiritual  diagnosis  it  is  not  content  with 
looking  at  the  patient's  tongue  and  counting 
his  pulse,  but  goes  down  into  the  secret  imag- 
inations of  his  inmost  heart  and  lays  a  merciless 

7 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

hand  on  certain  sins  which  no  man  ever  con- 
fesses to  his  fellow-men. 

Paul,  in  this  expose  of  sin,  mentions  some 
of  its  worst  developments.  And  he  signifi- 
cantly adds  that,  at  this  point,  there  is  "no  dif- 
ference": no  difference  between  Jews  and  Gen- 
tiles; no  difference  between  so-called  moral  and 
immoral  men:  for  all  are  "concluded  under 
sin."  The  word  concluded  means  literally  "shut 
up  together,"  the  picture  being  of  all  mankind 
in  one  prison  and  under  the  same  sentence  of 
spiritual  death,  which  is  eternal  alienation  from 
a  holy  God. 

THE  ADVANTAGE  OF  THE  JEW 

Chapters  3-5 

Paul  then  addresses  his  argument  more  par- 
ticularly to  his  own  countrymen.  The  fact  that 
they  were  "children  of  Abraham,"  he  says, 
would  not  save  them;  for  salvation  is  never  by 
inheritance.  No  more  would  the  fact  that  they 
were  scrupulously  observant  of  the  ceremonial 
law;  "for  by  the  deeds  of  the  law  shall  no  flesh 
be  justified." 

Well,  then,  "what  advantage  hath  the  Jew? 
Much  every  way:  chiefly  because  that  unto 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

them  were  committed  the  oracles  of  God."  By 
this  it  appears  that  the  Jews  were  "chosen"  to 
the  special  privilege  and  corresponding  re- 
sponsibility of  preserving  the  Scriptures — in 
which  were  enshrined  the  prophecies  of  the 
coming  Christ — and  handing  them  down  in- 
violate to  succeeding  ages.  Their  advantage 
was  not  in  any  hypothetical  salvation  on  ac- 
count of  that  privilege,  but  in  the  superior 
light  of  the  Messianic  hope.  If  justified  at  all 
they  must  be  justified  by  faith  in  the  Messiah; 
even  as  Abraham,  seeing  Christ  afar  off,  "was 
justified  by  faith  and  no?  by  works."  This 
was  the  proverbial  "Hope  of  Israel";  the  hope 
that  persisted  along  the  red  trail  of  prophecy 
down  to  Calvary,  where  it  was  quenched  in  the 
blood  of  him  for  whom  they  had  so  long  been 
looking! 

SIN  vs.  GRACE 

Chapters  6,  7 

Then  follows  Paul's  vindication  of  the  doc- 
trine of  free  grace  as  against  the  objection  of 
the  Antinomians,  who  said,  "If  we  are  justi- 
fied without  reference  to  our  good  works,  why 

9 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

should  we  not  go  on  to  sin?"  The  mere  sug- 
gestion is  fraught  with  horror  to  the  mind  of 
the  great  apostle.  Hear  him:  "How  shall  we 
that  are  dead  to  sin  live  any  longer  therein? 
God  forbid!  .  .  .  For  the  wages  of  sin  is 
death,  but  the  gift  of  God  is  eternal  life 
through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord."  And  he  pro- 
ceeds to  show  how  the  whole  grapple  of  the 
Christian  life  is  against  sin.  In  himself  he 
likens  it  to  the  struggle  of  a  convict  who  has 
been  chained  to  a  corpse  and  thrown  into  the 
sea.  "O  wretched  man  that  I  am!  Who  shall 
deliver  me  from  the  body  of  this  death?"  And 
then  comes  the  hopeful  cry  of  victory,  "I 
thank  God  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord!" 

THE  WONDERFUL  EIGHTH  OF  ROMANS 

This  brings  us  to  the  eighth  chapter.  The 
Christian  who  can  read  this  chapter  without  a 
thrill  of  exultation  is  "fit  for  treasons,  strata- 
gems and  spoils."  We  were  dead,  but  are  alive 
again  in  Christ;  we  were  in  bondage,  but  are 
forever  free!  Was  ever  such  a  challenge  as 
this :  "Who  shall  lay  anything  to  the  charge  of 
God's  elect?  It  is  God  that  justifieth!  Who 
is  he  that  condemneth?    It  is  Christ  that  died, 

10 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

yea,  rather,  that  is  risen  again,  .  .  .  who 
also  maketh  intercession  for  us!  Who  shall 
separate  us  from  the  love  of  Christ?"  Come 
death,  come  life,  come  angels,  principalities, 
powers,  things  present,  things  to  come,  height, 
depth  or  any  other  creature;  we  are  in  Christ 
Jesus,  wherefore  nothing  can  separate  us  from 
the  love  of  God!  Of  this  inspired  presenta- 
tion of  the  vital  union  of  the  believer  with  his 
Lord  we  have  a  faint  echo  in  Wesley's  familiar 
words : 

"This  one  thing  I  find: 
We  two  are  so  joined, 
Christ  can't  go  to  heaven 
And  leave  me  behind" 


THE  CONVERSION  OF  THE  JEWS 
Chapters   9-11 

In  the  next  three  chapters  we  have  a  clear 
presentation  of  God's  purpose  with  respect  to 
the  chosen  people.  For  though  this,  the  most 
"general"  of  all  Paul's  Epistles,  was  addressed 
to  Rome  as  the  outstanding  figure  in  a  univer- 
sal church,  not  for  an  instant  could  Paul  per- 
mit his  heart  to  wander  from  his  own  country- 

11 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

men  though  they  had  cast  him  off.  Hear  him: 
"My  heart's  desire  for  Israel  is  that  they 
might  be  saved."  Blessed  desire  of  Great- 
heart  ! 

There  is  an  accent  of  hope  in  his  anguished 
cry,  "Hath  God  cast  away  his  people?  God 
forbid!"  For  a  time  indeed — as  he  intimates 
— they  are  blind  and  in  bondage,  denying 
their  own  Messiah  "whom  kings  and  prophets 
longed  to  see  and  died  without  the  sight" ;  but 
in  the  fulness  of  time  the  veil  is  to  be  removed 
from  their  eyes  and  they  are  to  come  flocking 
to  Christ  as  doves  to  their  windows.  Then 
shall  the  mystery  of  God's  gracious  dealings 
with  his  people  be  made  clear.  In  the  mean- 
time this  must  suffice:  "How  unsearchable  are 
his  judgments  and  his  ways  past  finding  out!" 
11:33. 

PRACTICAL  EXHORTATIONS 
Chapters   12-15:12 

Paul  next  dwells  upon  the  importance  of 
translating  faith  into  the  terms  of  common 
life.  A  creed  on  parchment  is  an  insignificant 
thing;  it  has  value  only  when  it  walks  out  on 

12 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

two  feet  and  busies  itself  with  two  hands  in 
the  work  of  the  kingdom  of  God.  As  food  is  a 
vain  thing  unless  it  be  assimilated  and  trans- 
muted into  blood  and  sinew  and  bone,  so  is 
faith  in  Christ  except  it  be  changed  into  high 
purpose  and  efficiency;  for  thus  it  is  written: 
"Except  ye  eat  the  flesh  of  the  Son  of  man 
and  drink  his  blood,  ye  have  no  life  in  you." 

A  PROPOSED  JOURNEY  INTO  SPAIN 
Chapter   15 :  12-24 

The  essential  part  of  his  Epistle  being  dis- 
posed of,  Paul  makes  known  the  world-wide 
scope  of  his  mission.  He  purposes  a  journey 
even  "into  Spain"!  The  height  of  his  ambi- 
tion, so  far  as  previously  disclosed,  had  been 
to  visit  Rome;  it  now  appears,  however,  that 
Rome  was  a  mere  way  station  in  his  itinerary. 
The  world  was  his  parish.  The  Master  had 
enjoined  him  to  "Go!"  and  go  he  would,  and 
keep  going  until  he  had  reached  the  "utter- 
most parts  of  the  earth."  For  Spain  was  at 
the  Pillars  of  Hercules,  on  the  margin  of  the 
uncharted  seas. 

13 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

CONCLUSION:    SALUTATIONS 
Chapter  16 

The  last  chapter  is  given  up  to  affectionate 
greetings  and  hopeful  farewells;  and  here  we 
have  a  sidelight  into  the  sweet  domesticity  of 
the  early  church.  Blest  be  the  tie  that  binds 
our  hearts  in  Christian  love !  There  is  no  bond 
of  consanguinity  that  can  for  a  moment  com- 
pare with  the  blood-covenant  of  the  church. 
Believing  Jews  and  Gentiles  are  one  in  him 
who  loved  us  and  gave  himself  for  us. 

There  are  two  singular  things  to  be  noted 
in  this  chapter  of  greetings. 

One  of  these  is  the  parenthesis,  "I,  Tertius, 
who  wrote  this  Epistle,  salute  you  in  the 
Lord."  By  this  we  are  given  to  understand 
that  Paul  dictated  this  letter  to  an  amanuen- 
sis, a  fact  probably  due  to  the  infirmities  of  in- 
creasing age.  As  he  was  sending  these  saluta- 
tions to  his  Roman  friends  he  may  have  been 
called  aside  for  a  moment;  and  just  there  and 
then  was  where  Tertius,  his  secretary,  took 
advantage  of  the  opportunity  of  putting  in 
this  salutation  of  his  own.  It  has  made  him 
immortal;  for,  indeed,  this  is  everything  that 

14 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

we  know  about  him.  Let  us  be  glad,  in  pass- 
ing, that  Paul  did  not  feel  constrained  to  cut 
out  the  parenthesis  of  this  humble  man — who 
is  here  embalmed  like  a  fly  in  amber — for  it 
gives  us  a  pleasant  sidelight  into  the  family 
relations  of  the  early  church. 

The  other  singular  thing  in  this  closing 
chapter  is  the  fact  that  it  contains  no  reference 
to  Peter.  The  papal  doctrine  of  the  primacy 
of  Peter  rests  upon  the  assumption  that  the 
Roman  Church  was  founded  by  him  about 
A.  D.  42,  and  that  he  continued  to  be  Bishop 
there  for  a  period  of  twenty-five  years.  If  so, 
then,  of  course,  he  must  have  been  at  Rome 
when  this  Epistle  was  written.  This  leaves  us 
in  a  quandary;  for  if  that  were  so,  it  is  unac- 
countable, to  say  the  least,  that  Paul  should 
not  only  make  no  mention  of  him  in  the  entire 
course  of  this  Epistle,  but  that  in  these  final 
greetings  he  should  not  refer  to  him  in  any 
way. 

It  only  remains  for  us  to  hear  Paul  saying 
to  his  amanuensis,  "The  grace  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  be  with  you  all.  Amen."  Grace 
" — grace — the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ: 

15 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

whenever  you  hear  it  you  may  know  that  Paul 
is  somewhere  on  the  premises  or  near  by;  for 
the  gratis  of  salvation  was  his  only  boast;  and 
Christ  for  him  was  first,  last,  midst  and  all 
in  all. 


le 


II 

FIRST  CORINTHIANS 
PRACTICAL  RELIGION 

The  city  of  Corinth  had  been  utterly  de- 
stroyed in  the  time  of  the  Peloponnesian  War 
and  remained  in  ruins  until  the  time  of  Julius 
Csesar.  He  rebuilt  it  because  he  saw  that  its 
situation,  on  a  peninsula  with  a  seaport  on 
either  side,  afforded  a  coign  of  vantage  for 
commercial  pre-eminence,  as  indeed  it  subse- 
quently proved  when  ships  of  the  Seven  Seas 
brought  their  cargoes  to  its  markets.  The  city 
on  being  rebuilt  was  dedicated  to  Venus  Aph- 
rodite, the  goddess  of  sensuality;  and  at  the 
time  of  our  narrative  a  thousand  so-called 
"vestals"  were  set  apart  there  for  the  celebra- 
tion of  her  unspeakably  impure  rites. 

Paul  came  to  Corinth  on  his  second  mis- 
sionary journey,  A.  D.  52,  and  remained  there 
a  year  and  a  half.  At  that  time  the  city  had 
a  threefold  renown:  first,  as  the  seat  of  the 

IT 


PAULAS    LETTERS 

far-famed  Isthmian  or  Corinthian  games; 
second,  as  a  great  commercial  centre;  and 
third,  as  the  Vanity  Fair  of  the  world. 

The  church  which  Paul  founded  in  Corinth 
was  made  up  most  largely  of  Greeks,  who  were 
doubly  handicapped  by  heredity  and  environ- 
ment. The  impure  blood  of  many  generations 
was  flowing  in  their  veins  and  they  were  sur- 
rounded by  a  people  wholly  given  to  popular 
vices.  It  was  to  be  expected,  under  such  cir- 
cumstances, that  the  new  converts  to  Christ 
would  find  it  no  easy  matter  to  adjust  them- 
selves to  the  stern  requirements  of  the  Chris- 
tian life. 

The  occasion  of  this  letter  was  as  follows: 
An  important  member  of  the  Corinthian 
Church  came  to  Ephesus  (A.  D.  57)  on  a  visit, 
while  Paul  was  ministering  there,  and  brought 
news  of  spiritual  declension  among  the  Corin- 
thian Christians  which  greatly  distressed  him. 
Not  long  after  this  he  received  a  letter  from 
certain  members  of  that  church  which  not  only 
emphasized  what  he  had  already  heard,  but 
gave  him  still  greater  cause  for  anxiety;  and 
presently  a  delegation  of  three  of  its  members 
came  with  a  formal  request  that  Paul  would 

18 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

advise  them  as  to  what  was  to  be  done.  His 
desire  was  to  go  immediately  to  Corinth  and 
attend  to  the  matter,  but  circumstances  in 
Ephesus  were  such  that  this  was  out  of  the 
question.  The  next  best  thing  to  do  was  to 
write  a  letter,  which,  under  the  direction  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  he  proceeded  to  do. 

With  this  explanation  of  the  circumstances 
under  which  the  letter  was  written,  we  can 
easily  surmise  what  its  character  was  likely  to 
be.  There  was  no  complaint  as  to  the  ortho- 
doxy of  the  Corinthian  Church.  Its  members 
were  intellectually  true  to  the  doctrines  of  the 
Christian  faith,  but  they  failed  to  translate 
their  faith  into  the  practical  terms  of  common 
life.  A  reference  is  made  by  Paul  to  this  fact 
where  he  says,  "As  a  wise  master  builder  I 
have  laid  the  foundation,  and  another  (namely, 
Apollos,  who  succeeded  him  in  the  pastorate 
at  Corinth)  buildeth  thereon.  But  let  every 
man  take  heed  how  he  buildeth  thereupon,  for 
other  foundation  can  no  man  lay  than  that  is 
laid,  which  is  Jesus  Christ.  Now,  if  any 
man  build  upon  this  foundation  gold,  silver, 
precious  stones,  wood,  hay,  stubble,  every 
man's  work  shall  be  made  manifest;  for  the 

19 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

day  shall  declare  it,  because  it  shall  be  re- 
vealed by  fire  and  the  fire  shall  try  every 
man's  work  of  what  sort  it  is."  The  reference 
in  this  passage  is  to  the  well-remembered  con- 
flagration of  Mummius  which  had  destroyed 
all  the  combustible  homes  of  the  ancient  city 
and  left  only  those  substantial  buildings  which 
had  been  built  on  good  foundations. 

It  will  be  seen,  therefore,  why  so  little  em- 
phasis is  put  in  this  Epistle  upon  the  doctrines 
of  our  Christian  faith  and  so  great  an  empha- 
sis on  the  importance  of  living  up  to  them.  In 
the  Epistle  to  the  Romans,  the  circumstances 
being  totally  different,  we  have  the  great  doc- 
trinal symbol  of  the  New  Testament;  but  in 
this  First  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians  we  have  a 
monumental  thesis  on  Practical  Religion, 

CHRISTIAN  UNITY 
Chapters  1-4 

The  first  four  chapters  after  Paul's  cus- 
tomary greeting,  "Grace  be  unto  you,"  are 
devoted  to  reproof  and  counsel  with  special 
reference  to  the  schisms  which  were  prevalent 
in  the  Corinthian  church:  *'For  it  hath  been 

20 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

declared  unto  me  that  there  are  contentions 
among  you." 

There  were  four  parties  among  them.  First, 
those  who  called  themselves  Pauline,  because 
they  followed  him  as  the  founder  of  their 
church.  Second,  the  Petrine  party,  who  allied 
themselves  with  Peter  (Cephas),  these  being 
probably  converted  Jews  who  had  reason  to 
think  of  Peter  as  more  sympathetic  with 
Jewish  methods  than  the  Apostle  of  the  Gen- 
tiles was  likely  to  be.  Third,  the  Apollonian 
party,  who  lined  up  with  Apollos  as  a  man  of 
persuasive  eloquence  and  the  former  pastor  of 
their  church.  And  fourth,  a  party  made  up 
of  such  as  preferred  to  call  themselves  simply 
Christians,  possibly  with  an  assumption  of 
greater  devotion  to  Christ,  but  probably  in- 
volving also  a  renunciation  of  apostolic  teach- 
ing. To  all  these  Paul  gives  the  same  advice : 
"I  beseech  you,  brethren,  by  the  name  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  that  ye  all  speak  the  same 
thing,  and  that  there  be  no  divisions  among 
you;  but  that  ye  be  perfectly  joined  together 
in  the  same  mind  and  in  the  same  judgment." 

It  is  at  this  point  that  Paul  thanks  God  that 
he  had  baptized  none  of  them  but  Crispus,  the 

21 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

master  of  the  synagogue,  and  his  old  friend 
Gains,  "lest  any  should  say  that  I  had  bap- 
tized in  mine  own  name."  He  also  thanks  God 
that  he  had  taught  no  philosophy  of  his  own, 
by  which  they  might  have  been  warranted  in 
claiming  to  be  his  disciples  rather  than  Christ's. 
On  coming  to  Corinth  five  years  previously, 
with  his  failure  in  Athens  fresh  in  memory,  he 
had  resolved  that  he  would  never  again  preach 
the  Gospel  with  wisdom  of  words  lest  the 
Cross  of  Christ  should  be  made  of  none  effect. 
Wherefore  his  teaching  among  them  had  been 
with  simplicity,  the  substance  of  it  being,  as 
he  says,  "Christ  the  power  of  God  and  the 
wisdom  of  God." 

PERSONAL  PURITY 
Chapters  5-14 

The  next  eight  chapters  are  devoted  to  the 
correction  of  the  particular  evils  which  had 
been  reported  to  him  by  the  delegation  from 
the  Corinthian  church. 

To  begin  with,  he  takes  up  the  matter  of 
personal  purity.  There  was  one  man  there 
who  had  greatly  scandalized  the  church  by 
habitual  indulgence  in  nameless  vice.    He  in- 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

structs  them  that  such  an  one  should  be  "de- 
livered unto  Satan  for  the  destruction  of  the 
flesh."  This  meant,  of  course,  that  disciphne 
should  be  administered  by  the  officers  of  the 
church — a  policy  which  has  unfortunately 
fallen  into  disuse  in  our  time.  The  offender 
was  not  merely  to  be  suspended  but  to  be  ex- 
communicated; that  is,  '^delivered  unto  Satan" 
or  utterly  separated  from  the  people  of  Christ, 
to  the  end  that  he  might  bring  forth  fruits 
meet  to  repentance  and  so  be  brought  back  to 
God. 

Then  follow  certain  instructions  as  to  the 
sanctity  of  the  marriage  tie  and  other  points 
relating  to  purity  in  personal  life,  all  the 
Apostle's  injunctions  here  and  further  on  in 
the  Epistle  being  based,  as  will  be  seen,  on 
certain  great  principles  which  are  as  enduring 
as  the  moral  law.  In  reading  them  we  natur- 
ally come  upon  certain  passages  which  are  not 
to  be  read  in  public  but  in  the  secret  place 
where  the  soul  of  a  man  is  bared  in  the  pres- 
ence of  God. 

NON-CONFORMITY 

The  next  point  taken  up  by  the  Apostle  is 
that  of  compromise  with  prevalent  customs, 

23 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

Let  it  be  remembered  that  most  of  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Corinthian  chm^ch  were  Greeks 
who  had  formerly  taken  part  in  the  worship 
of  Venus,  and  who  after  their  conversion  con- 
tinued to  be  on  f  amihar  terms  with  their  pagan 
friends.  It  would  appear  that  some  of  these 
converts  had  gone  so  far  as  to  attend  the  feasts 
given  in  honor  of  the  unclean  goddess.  Of 
course,  this  could  not  be  tolerated  in  those  who 
were  members  of  a  Christian  church;  but  one 
of  the  questions  which  the  delegation  had 
brought  to  Paul  had  to  do  with  certain  others 
who,  while  not  actually  attending  the  feasts, 
could  see  no  harm  in  partaking  of  meats  which 
had  been  laid  upon  the  altars  of  Venus  and 
thereafter  sold  in  the  shambles.  What  sin 
could  there  be  in  purchasing  and  partaking  of 
those  meats  when  they  knew  that  "an  idol  was 
nothing  in  the  world"? 

It  is  just  here  that  Paul  makes  his  great 
argument  as  to  refraining  from  that  which  is 
not  wrong  of  itself  but  becomes  so  when  it 
leads  weak  consciences  astray.  "Take  heed," 
he  says,  "lest  by  any  means  this  liberty  of 
yours  become  a  stumbling-block  to  them  that 
are  weak."     Suppose  that  one  sitting  at  the 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

table,  having  previously  been  a  worshipper  of 
Venus,  and,  not  being  able  to  perceive  that  her 
worship  was  mere  superstition,  were  to  be  led 
back  by  the  example  of  a  stronger  brother  into 
his  former  method  of  life?  The  safer  plan  is, 
therefore,  to  abstain.  At  any  rate,  Paul  him- 
self will  take  no  risks:  "If  meat  make  my 
brother  to  offend  I  will  eat  no  flesh  while  the 
world  standeth!"  Here  is  the  spirit  of  self- 
sacrifice  at  its  best. 

MODESTY 

This  is  followed  by  the  consideration  of  a 
certain  matter  which  may  seem  of  small  mo- 
ment to  us,  but  had  apparently  given  rise  to 
scandal  in  connection  with  public  worship.  It 
seems  that  some  of  the  women  had  attended 
church  with  their  heads  uncovered.  What  a 
molehill  to  dwell  upon,  in  a  letter  like  this! 
But  Paul  did  not  think  so.  The  priestesses  of 
Venus  Aphrodite  were  wont  to  publish  their 
shameful  vocation  by  appearing  at  her  great 
festivals  with  uncovered  heads;  this  was  the 
token  of  their  calling.  When  Christian  women 
appeared  in  public  in  similar  guise  what  would 
naturally  be  thought  of  them?    It  was  there- 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

fore  a  matter  of  vital  importance  that  they 
should  avoid  it. 

THE    lord's    supper 

A  matter  of  related  but  still  greater  mo- 
ment was  the  abuse  of  the  Lord's  supper. 
There  were  some  among  the  Christians  of 
Corinth  who  had  turned  it  into  a  revel  not 
greatly  differing  from  the  hilarious  feasts  of 
Aphrodite.  The  rich  were  accustomed  to  bring 
with  them  the  viands  of  the  feast  and  to  par- 
take gluttonously,  not  without  drunkenness  on 
the  part  of  some,  while  the  poorer  members  of 
the  church  sat  hungrily  by.  "What,"  cries 
Paul,  **have  ye  not  houses  to  eat  and  drink  in? 
or  despise  ye  the  church  of  God,  and  shame 
them  that  have  not?  What  shall  I  say  to  you? 
I  praise  you  not."  Then  follows  a  noble  dis- 
quisition on  the  divine  beauty  and  simplicity 
of  the  sacramental  feast. 

SPIRITUAL  GIFTS 

Still  another  abuse  in  public  worship  was 
due  to  the  improper  use  of  the  charismata,  or 
spiritual  gifts,  and  particularly  of  the  gift  of 
tongues.  It  would  appear  that  some  of  the 
members  of  the  church,  assuming  themselves 

36 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

to  be  possessed  of  this  miraculous  gift,  had 
been  hfting  up  their  voices  in  the  pubHc  assem- 
bHes  in  a  sort  of  gibberish  which  neither  their 
hearers  nor  probably  themselves  were  able  to 
understand ;  and  the  result  was  utter  confusion 
and  disorder. 

It  may  be  noted,  in  passing,  that  the  same 
"gift  of  tongues"  has  not  infrequently  been 
claimed  and  exercised  with  like  results  at  dif- 
ferent periods  in  the  modern  church,  as  for 
example  among  the  followers  of  Edward  Irv- 
ing, whose  later  life  was  clouded  by  many  de- 
lusions. There  was  a  reason  for  the  conferring 
of  such  miraculous  gifts  on  the  members  of 
the  infant  church,  precisely  as  there  is  a  reason 
for  the  use  of  a  scaffolding  in  the  early  stages 
of  the  erection  of  a  building;  but  as  the  scaf- 
folding is  taken  down  when  no  longer  needed, 
so  with  the  charismata;  they  would  hamper 
rather  than  help  the  progress  of  the  modern 
church, 

CHARITY 

The  counsel  of  Paul  with  respect  to  these 
spiritual  gifts  is  interrupted  by  the  wonderful 
Song  of  Charity  (chapter  13),  which  he  pro- 

27 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

nounces  to  be  the  greatest  of  all  gifts. 
*' Though  I  speak  with  the  tongues  of  men 
and  of  angels,  and  have  not  charity  (love, 
R.  v.),  I  am  become  as  sounding  brass  or  a 
tinkling  cymbal.  .  .  .  Now  abideth  faith, 
hope,  love,  these  three;  and  the  greatest  of 
these  is  love." 

THE  RESURRECTION 
Chapter  15 

While  the  members  of  the  Corinthian  church 
stood  foursquare  as  to  the  fundamental  doc- 
trines of  the  Christian  faith,  there  was  one 
doctrine  of  prime  importance  which  had  been 
assailed  by  certain  false  teachers  who  had 
crept  in  among  them ;  namely,  the  resurrection 
of  the  dead.  In  order  to  forestall  any  further 
inroads  in  this  direction,  Paul  gives  us  a  con- 
vincing argument  as  to  life  and  immortality. 
It  concludes  with  the  challenge:  "O  death, 
where  is  thy  sting?  O  grave,  where  is  thy  vic- 
tory? The  sting  of  death  is  sin;  and  the 
strength  of  sin  is  the  law;  but  thanks  be  to 
God,  which  giveth  us  the  victory  through  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ!" 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

CONCLUSION 

Chapter  16 

The  Epistle  concludes  with  a  chapter  of 
greetings  in  which  Paul  again  refers  to  the 
fact  that  he  is  collecting  funds  among  the 
Gentiles  for  his  famine-stricken  friends  in  the 
mother  church  at  Jerusalem  and  requests  their 
generous  contributions.  The  letter  is  sent  by 
the  hand  of  Timothy,  for  whom  he  asks  the 
loving  consideration  of  the  Christians  in  Cor- 
inth. Finally,  "Watch  ye,  stand  fast  in  the 
faith,  quit  you  like  men,  be  strong!  Let  all 
things  be  done  with  charity."  And  then,  of 
course,  his  countersign,  "The  grace  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with  you.  Amen." 


99 


Ill 

SECOND  CORINTHIANS 
A  SELF-RESPECTING  MAN 

It  will  be  remembered  that  Paul  wrote  his 
First  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians  during  his 
three  years'  pastorate  at  Ephesus.  Not  long 
after  that  he  was  attacked  by  a  mob  and 
obliged  to  flee  for  his  life.  This  happened  in 
the  month  of  May,  A.  D.  57,  while  the  great 
feast  in  honor  of  Diana  was  going  on.  By 
this  time  Paul  had  been  long  enough  in  Ephe- 
sus to  make  grave  inroads  on  the  traffic  in 
little  images  of  the  goddess  which  were  cus- 
tomarily sold  at  the  feast.  The  shop-keepers 
and  particularly  the  manufacturers  of  such 
wares,  being  naturally  indignant  on  account 
of  their  losses,  held  a  meeting  at  which  Deme- 
trius the  silversmith  made  a  fiery  address,  with 
the  result  that  an  uproar  was  raised  in  the  city 
and  a  search  was  instituted  for  Paul,  who,  had 
he  been  found,  would  without  doubt  have  been 

30 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

summarily  dealt  with.  After  being  kept  under 
cover  for  a  while  by  friends,  he  quietly  left  the 
city. 

So  it  came  to  pass  that  this  Second  Epistle, 
which  is  a  postscript  to  the  First,  was  not 
written  at  Ephesus,  but  in  some  unknown 
place  where  Paul  found  shelter  after  his  flight. 
He  had  set  out  with  the  evident  intention  of 
going  to  Corinth,  in  pursuance  of  a  promise 
that,  as  soon  as  possible,  he  would  visit  the 
people  there.  He  had  advised  them  through 
Titus,  the  postman  of  his  First  letter,  that 
they  might  expect  him;  and  they  had  accord- 
ingly been  preparing  to  receive  him.  He  had 
enjoined  Titus  to  return  at  the  earliest  pos- 
sible moment  with  information  as  to  how  his 
previous  letter  was  received;  but  up  to  the 
time  of  Paul's  leaving  Ephesus  his  messenger 
had  not  returned ;  and  now  that  he  had  reached 
Macedonia  there  was  still  no  news.  He  had 
waited  for  Titus  at  Troas  in  vain;  and  with 
an  anxious  heart  he  continued  his  evangelistic 
work  in  towns  along  the  way. 

News  came  at  length,  while  he  was  some- 
where among  the  Macedonian  hills,  and  news 
of  a  most  distressing  sort.     The  church  in 

31 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

Corinth  was  sadly  divided;  the  majority  of  its 
members  had  received  his  reproofs  in  a  proper 
spirit  of  humihty;  but  there  were  trouble- 
makers who  not  only  resented  his  interference 
with  their  worldly  manner  of  life  but  went  so 
far  as  to  deny  outright  his  apostolic  authority. 
Others  denounced  him  as  a  promise-breaker, 
affirming  that  he  had  never  really  intended  to 
visit  them,  broadly  hinting  that  he  was  a  coward 
and  afraid  to  confront  them  face  to  face  with 
the  severe  charges  of  immorality  which  he  had 
brought  against  them. 

These  were  the  circumstances  under  which 
he  sat  down,  somewhere  in  Macedonia,  to  write 
this  letter  in  self-defence.  Was  it  worth 
while?  Is  it  ever  worth  while  for  a  man  to 
vindicate  himself?  If  so,  it  was  doubly  impor- 
tant for  Paul  to  set  himself  right  as  an  apostle 
of  Christ.  The  validity  of  his  apostolic  teach- 
ing was  at  stake,  not  only  as  it  concerned  the 
church  members  of  Corinth,  but  for  all  Chris- 
tians who  were  to  receive  his  writings  as 
canonical  and  trustworthy  through  the  coming 
ages. 

It  is  important  that  we  should  know  whether 
Paul  was  really  an  authorized  and  inspired 

32 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

teacher  of  the  doctrines  of  Christ.  For  in  our 
time  there  is  no  lack  of  accusers,  like  those  at 
Corinth,  who  look  askance  at  Paul  and  speak 
slightingly  of  "Pauline  theology,"  as  if  an 
invidious  distinction  were  to  be  drawn  between 
the  trustworthiness  of  Christ  and  that  of  his 
apostles.  They  either  forget  or  choose  to 
ignore  and  practically  deny  the  fact  that  the 
apostolic  Scriptures  were  underwritten  by 
Christ  himself  when  he  said  not  only,  "He  that 
heareth  you  heareth  me,"  but  conversely,  "He 
that  despiseth  you  despiseth  me." 

It  is  of  supreme  importance  therefore  that 
Paul  should  vindicate  his  standing  as  an 
apostle,  particularly  by  reason  of  the  fact  that 
he,  of  all  the  apostles,  was  pre-eminently 
chosen  to  formulate  and  systematize  the  doc- 
trines of  the  Christian  faith. 

In  this  Second  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians 
we  have  that  vindication.  It  would  be  worth 
while  if  it  contained  no  more  than  the  pas- 
sionate effort  of  an  ordinary  man  to  uphold 
his  honor.  But  it  is  immeasurably  more  than 
that;  it  is  the  picture  of  one  of  the  Lord's 
mighties  standing  for  the  defence  of  his  am- 
bassadorship, and  therefore  for  the  authority 

33 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

of  the  message  which,  as  he  steadfastly  affirms, 
comes  through  his  lips  from  the  very  throne 
of  God. 

A  MAN  OF  HIS  WORD 
Chapters  1,  2 

In  the  first  two  chapters,  Paul,  after  his 
customary  salutation,'  assures  his  friends  that 
no  fault  of  his  had  prevented  the  fulfillment 
of  his  promise  to  visit  them.  "Man  proposes 
but  God  disposes."  The  fact  was  that  on  his 
journey  he  had  been  prostrated  by  an  attack 
of  illness  that  threatened  his  very  life.  (2  Cor. 
1:  8-12.)  This  was  an  excuse  that  would  hold 
in  any  court  of  justice.  In  reply  to  those  who 
accused  him  of  being  afraid  to  meet  them  face 
to  face,  he  affirms  that  he  had  never  so  lived  as 
to  lay  himself  open  to  the  charge  of  evasion  or 
prevarication.  "Our  word  toward  you  is  not 
yea  and  nay;  but  as  the  promises  of  God  in 
Christ  are  yea  and  amen,  so  have  I  always 
endeavored  to  speak  the  truth,  the  whole  truth, 
and  nothing  but  the  truth."  It  would  be  hard 
to  find  a  nobler  tribute  to  transparent  candor. 
The   water-carriers    of    Christ    cannot    carry 

34 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

water  on  both  shoulders.    As  children  of  light 
their  yea  must  be  yea  and  their  nay  nay. 

A  VERITABLE  APOSTLE 
Chapters  S-& 

In  these  chapters  Paul  sets  forth  his  cre- 
dentials as  an  apostle.  It  is  true  he  did  not 
belong  to  the  original  Twelve.  He  admits 
that,  as  an  apostle,  he  was  "as  one  born  out 
of  due  time."  But  in  due  time  he  did  receive 
his  commission;  and  it  bore  the  sign-manual 
of  Christ  himself. 

No  one  could  be  an  apostle  who  had  not 
seen  Christ.  No  one  could  write  Scripture 
who  had  not  seen  Christ.  This  was  the  fact 
which  ultimately  sealed  the  canon  of  the  New 
Testament:  only  such  books  were  included  as 
were  definitely  known  to  have  been  written  by 
men  who  had  seen  the  living  Christ.  But  Paul 
had  seen  him.  On  his  way  down  to  Damascus 
— "out  of  due  season"  indeed — he  had  looked 
upon  him  in  "a  light  above  the  brightness  of 
the  sun."  And  he  had  received  his  apostolic 
commission  in  unmistakable  terms  that  day. 

But  they  demanded  formal  credentials. 
Perhaps  they  wanted  letters  of  commendation 

35 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

from  the  mother  church  in  Jerusalem.  Here 
was  Paul  going  around  among  both  Jews  and 
Gentiles  without  a  written  line  or  syllable  to 
authenticate  his  claims!  What  has  he  to  say- 
to  that?  "Do  we  begin  again  to  commend 
ourselves  ?  Or  need  we,  as  some  others,  epistles 
of  commendation  to  you  or  letters  of  commen- 
dation from  you?  Ye  are  our  epistle,  written 
in  our  hearts,  known  and  read  of  all  men." 
Hear  that,  ye  who  clamor  for  a  place  in  "the 
apostolic  succession."  Where  are  your  con- 
verts, the  conquests  of  your  faith,  the  living 
epistles  that  certify  to  the  validity  of  your 
call?  Stand  up,  all  "unordained"  evangelists 
whose  crowns  are  shining  full  of  stars,  stand 
up  in  the  presence  of  mitres  and  canonicals 
and  let  your  works  witness  for  you! 

But  that  was  not  all:  Paul  claimed  to  have 
other  credentials:  "Always  bearing  about  in 
the  body,"  he  says,  "the  dying  of  the  Lord 
Jesus" ;  or,  as  he  puts  it  in  Galatians,  "Let  no 
man  trouble  me:  for  I  bear  in  my  body  the 
marks  (stigmata)  of  the  Lord  Jesus."  The 
scars  of  many  scourgings  were  upon  him. 
Who  are  these  who  call  him  charlatan?  "Are 
thev  ministers  of  Christ?    I  more!    In  labors 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

more  abundant,  in  stripes  above  measure,  in 
prisons  more  frequent,  in  deaths  oft!"  (2  Cor. 
11:23.)  Let  him  be  judged  not  only  by  what 
he  had  done,  but  by  what  he  had  suffered  in 
the  Master's  name. 

Were  other  credentials  called  for?  We  shall 
find  them  further  on  (2  Cor.  12)  :  "I  will  come 
to  visions  and  revelations  of  the  Lord,"  says 
Paul.  **I  knew  a  man  in  Christ  above  four- 
teen  years  ago  (whether  in  the  body,  I  cannot 
tell ;  or  whether  out  of  the  body,  I  cannot  tell : 
God  knoweth) ;  such  an  one  caught  up  into 
Paradise,  the  third  heaven,  where  he  heard 
unspeakable  words  which  it  is  not  lawful  for  a 
man  to  utter.     Of  such  an  one  will  I  glory." 

Not  less  than  twenty-nine  times  in  this 
Epistle  do  we  come  upon  that  word.  Paul 
seems  to  be  boasting  continually,  yet  not  of 
himself,  save  as  an  ambassador  of  Christ.  As 
such,  it  behooves  him  to  contend  for  the  integ- 
rity of  his  message.  "I  am  become  a  fool  in 
glorying,"  he  says;  "ye  have  compelled  me; 
for  I  ought  to  have  been  commended  of  you. 
Truly  the  signs  of  an  apostle  were  wrought 
among  you  in  all  patience,  in  signs  and  won- 
ders and  mighty  deeds." 

37 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

A  FAITHFUL  MINISTER 

Chapters  6,  7 

In  chapters  six  and  seven  he  speaks  for 
himself  as  the  former  pastor  of  the  Corinthian 
church.  And  here  his  heart  is  in  his  throat. 
What  severe  tenderness!  He  reminds  them 
how  patiently  and  earnestly  he  had  served 
them.  (For  a  perfect  picture  of  a  faithful 
pastorate  read  2  Cor.  6:  3-10.)  And  how  had 
they  recompensed  him?  *'Ye  are  not  straitened 
in  us,  but  ye  are  straitened  in  your  own  affec- 
tions. Our  mouth  is  open  unto  you,  O  Corin- 
thians, our  heart  is  enlarged."  They  had  lent 
a  willing  ear  even  to  the  unrighteous  who  ac- 
cused him.  *'Come  out  from  among  them  and 
be  ye  separate,  saith  the  Lord.  .  .  .  Open 
your  hearts  to  us;  we  wronged  no  man." 

He  acknowledges  the  severity  of  his  former 
letter,  but  insists  not  only  that  the  circum- 
stances of  the  case  required  it  but  that  results 
had  fully  justified  it.  For  Titus,  on  his  return 
from  Corinth,  had  informed  him  of  a  notable 
betterment  of  life  among  the  Christians  there. 
Wherefore  he  says  that  though  he  had  made 
them  sorry  with  his  letter  he  did  not  repent, 
but  rather  rejoiced  that  they  were  made  sorry 

38 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

with  a  godly  sorrow  that  needed  not  to  be 
repented  of. 

THE  COLLECTION 

Chapters  8,  9 

In  the  next  two  chapters  Paul  appeals  for  a 
generous  contribution  in  behalf  of  the  famine- 
stricken  members  of  the  mother  church  in 
Jerusalem.  The  fact  that  these  Christians  of 
Corinth  were  mostly  Gentiles  would  make 
such  an  offering  significant  of  church  unity 
and  magnanimity.  He  ventures  to  stimulate 
their  spirit  of  emulation  by  reminding  them  of 
the  forwardness  of  the  churches  of  Macedonia 
which  had  given  generously  in  "deep  poverty'* 
and  *'in  a  great  trial  of  affliction."  He  as- 
sures them  that  such  beneficence  can  involve 
no  loss,  since  giving  to  the  poor  is  but  lending 
to  the  Lord.  And  finally  he  puts  them  in  re- 
membrance of  Christ  as  the  unspeakable  Gift 
of  God. 

SELF-RESPECT 
Chapters  10-13 

In  the  remaining  chapters  Paul  makes  a 
clean  job  of  his  defence,  taking  up  and  dis- 

39. 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

posing  of  everything  that  had  been  alleged 
against  him. 

Paul  was  under  fire.  There  were  those  at 
Corinth  who  said,  "His  letters  are  indeed 
weighty  and  powerful,  but  his  bodily  pres- 
ence is  weak  and  his  speech  is  contemptible," 
which  was  presumably  the  reason  why  he,  not- 
withstanding his  promise,  had  failed  to  visit 
them.  To  this  he  replies,  first,  by  accusing 
his  accusers  of  grave  presumption  and,  sec- 
ond, by  emphasizing  his  purpose  not  only  to 
come  to  Corinth  but  to  "stretch  himself"  even 
to  the  regions  beyond. 

And  then,  as  if  swept  away  by  righteous 
indignation  on  account  of  the  wrongs  inflicted 
upon  him,  he  becomes,  as  he  says,  a  very  fool 
in  boasting.  (Read  2  Cor.  11:18-12:13.)  At 
this  point  one  cannot  fail  to  recall  the  infidel 
Renan's  description  of  Paul  as  "the  ugly  lit- 
tle Jew."  But  how  that  ugly  little  Jew  towers 
aloft  in  defence  of  himself  as  a  duly  accredi- 
ted ambassador  of  Christ!  Nor  is  this  the 
only  occasion  when  he  stood  upon  his  official 
dignity.  Once  imprisoned  at  Philippi  by  mag- 
istrates who,  having  exceeded  their  authority, 
became  frightened  and  ordered  the  jailer  to 

40 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

let  him  go,  he  refused  to  be  let  go,  saying, 
**They  have  beaten  us  openly,  uncondemned, 
and  now  do  they  thrust  us  out  privily?  Nay, 
verily,  but  let  them  come  themselves  and  fetch 
us  out!"  And  come  they  did,  "and  brought 
them  out  and  desired  them  to  depart  out  of 
the  city." 

All  honor  to  the  man  who  knows  his  rights 
and  knowing  dares  maintain !  There  is  no  room 
in  practical  Christianity  for  "  'umbleness"  like 
that  of  Uriah  Heep.  And  certainly  no  ambas- 
sador is  at  liberty  to  endure  silently  an  af- 
front to  the  Government  that  commissions 
him. 

Hear  him  again — this  "ugly  little  Jew" — 
asserting  his  rights  in  the  Praetorian  palace  at 
CsBsarea.  He  had  been  beaten  about  in  one 
petty  court  after  another  until  forbearance 
had  ceased  to  be  a  virtue;  so  that  when  Fes- 
tus  proposed  that  he  consent  to  go  up  again 
to  Jerusalem  to  be  badgered  by  the  rabbis,  he 
answered,  "If  I  have  committed  anything 
worthy  of  death  I  refuse  not  to  die;  but  if 
there  be  none  of  these  things  whereof  they 
accuse  me,  no  man  may  deliver  me  unto  them. 
I  appeal  unto  Caesar!"  He  thus  fell  back  upon 

41 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

his  rights  as  a  citizen  of  Rome.  Again,  I 
say,  all  honor  to  him! 

No  Christian  is  at  liberty  to  dishonor  him- 
self. Christ  himself  was  the  manliest  of  men. 
To  use  the  words  of  Milton,  his  was  "that 
lofty  lowliness  of  mind  which  is  exalted  by  its 
own  humiliation!"  One  who  would  truly  fol- 
low Christ  in  this  respect  must  be  jealous  not 
only  for  his  own  character  but  for  his  repu- 
tation also,  in  order  that  his  influence  may 
work  to  the  uttermost  for  the  good  of  his  fel- 
low-men. 

In  conclusion  Paul  reiterates  his  expectation 
of  reaching  Corinth  in  due  time ;  and,  in  antic- 
ipation of  his  coming,  exhorts  his  friends,  "Ex- 
amine yourselves,  whether  ye  be  in  the  faith; 
prove  your  own  selves."  Then  his  farewell, 
"The  grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  the 
love  of  God  and  the  communion  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  be  with  you  all.  Amen." 


43 


IV 

THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  GALATIANS 

JUSTIFICATION  BY  FAITH 

This  Epistle  was  written  about  A.  D.  58. 
It  was  occasioned  by  the  fact  that,  while  Paul 
was  on  his  third  missionary  journey,  news 
reached  him  that  members  of  the  church  in 
Galatia  were  being  persuaded  by  Judaizers 
to  return  again  from  the  simplicity  of  the 
Gospel  to  the  bondage  of  the  Ceremonial  Law. 

SALUTATION 

Chapter  1:1-5 

In  his  three  years'  ministry  at  Ephesus  the 
Apostle  was  assisted  by  a  noble  band  of 
workers,  among  whom  were  Gains,  Tim- 
othy, Tychicus  and  Trophimus,  Sopater,  Aris- 
tarchus,  Secundus  and  the  ever-faithful  tent- 
makers  Aquila  and  Priscilla.  The  fact  that 
these  were  informed  as  to  the  purpose  of  this 
letter  and  in  full  accord  with  it  is  intimated 
by  their  joining  in  the  greeting,  "Grace  be  to 
you  and  peace." 

43 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

REMONSTRANCE 
Chapter  1 : 6-12 

It  must  have  been  something  starthng  in 
the  news  from  Galatia  that  moved  Paul  to  ex- 
claim, *'I  marvel!"  It  was,  indeed;  for  it  had 
been  reported  that  the  church  members  there 
were  "removed  unto  another  gospel."  And 
the  new  gospel  which  they  preferred  to  the 
Gospel  of  Christ  was  really  "not  another," 
but  a  transparent  fraud,  because  it  brought 
them  no  "good  news"  of  salvation  from  sin. 

In  view  of  the  many  evasions  and  make- 
shifts and  substitutes  which  in  our  day  are 
offered  for  the  old-time  religion  it  may  be 
well  to  emphasize  the  words  of  Paul  in  this 
connection:  "Though  we,  or  an  angel  from 
heaven,  preach  any  other  gospel  unto  you,  let 
him  be  anathema!" 

A  terrible  judgment,  this;  which  he  justi- 
fies by  saying  that  the  Gospel  which  he 
preached  was  received  by  the  direct  "revelation 
of  Jesus  Christ"  and  not  like  those  others 
"after  man."  If  this  means  anything  it  means 
that  those  who  profess  to  follow  Christ  are  not 
at  liberty  to  formulate  their  creed  according 
to  the  teachings  of  any  man  or  body  of  men 

44 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

whatsoever,  but  are  under  bonds  to  regard  as 
final  the  authority  of  the  oracles  of  God. 

REVELATION  VINDICATED 

Chapters    1 :  13-2 

At  this  point  the  Apostle  proceeds  to  show 
how  the  Gospel  was  revealed  to  him.  At 
the  time  of  his  conversion,  he  says,  he  did  not 
feel  qualified  at  once  to  enter  upon  his  min- 
istry; but  "conferring  not  with  flesh  and 
blood,"  not  even  going  up  to  Jerusalem  to  ad- 
vise with  those  who  were  Apostles  before  him, 
he  "went  away  into  Arabia"  where  among  the 
solitudes  he  pursued  a  three-years  theological 
course.  Then,  having  received  the  divine  title 
of  B.  D.,  he  went  up  to  Jerusalem,  where 
he  remained  for  fifteen  days  in  conference 
with  Peter  and  James,  the  pastor  of  the  moth- 
er church.  After  that,  for  a  period  of  eleven 
years,  he  carried  on  a  sort  of  independent 
work  among  the  neglected  peoples  of  Syria 
and  Cilicia.  Meanwhile,  he  says,  he  was  "un- 
known by  face  unto  the  churches  of  Judea," 
save  as  rumors  came  to  them  that  "he  which 
persecuted  us  in  times  past  now  preacheth 
the  faith."    Then,  after  this  apprenticeship  of 

45 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

fourteen  years,  he  did  go  up  to  Jerusalem 
*'by  revelation"  to  attend  the  Council  which 
had  been  called  to  determine  whether  Gentile 
converts  must  enter  the  Church  by  complying 
with  the  Levitical  rules  and  regulations  or 
not;  and  then  and  there  the  career  of  Paul 
as  an  "ordained"  minister  began,  as  it  is  writ- 
ten that  they  gave  him  the  right  hand  of  fel- 
lowship that  he  should  "go  unto  the  heathen." 
As  Peter  had  been  set  apart  and  ordained  "to 
the  apostleship  of  the  circumcision,"  so  Paul 
was  now  designated  for  special  service  among 
the  Gentiles;  and  at  the  same  time  he  was 
commissioned  to  solicit  offerings  from  the 
Gentile  converts  for  the  relief  of  the  famine- 
stricken  Christians  of  Jerusalem.  His  work 
was  now  clearly  marked  out;  and  never  for  a 
moment  thereafter  did  he  swerve  from  it. 

On  one  occasion,  he  says,  he  had  been  forced 
to  take  issue  with  Peter  and  "withstand  him 
to  the  face."  This  was  during  the  revival  at 
Antioch  A.  D.  42.  (Acts  15:22-26.)  For  a 
while  Peter  mingled  with  the  Gentile  converts 
there  on  terms  of  equality,  but  under  the  in- 
fluence of  certain  members  of  the  church  in 
Jerusalem  he  "withdrew  and  separated  him- 

^6 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

self,  fearing  them  which  were  of  the  circum- 
cision." For  this,  says  Paul,  "he  was  to  be 
blamed";  wherefore  there  occurred  a  tempor- 
ary breach  between  the  two  apostles ;  but  Paul 
had  the  right  of  it.  Compromise  in  moral  ques- 
tions never  pays.  Peter,  by  endeavoring  to 
carry  water  on  both  shoulders,  was  really  con- 
senting that  the  Gentiles  must  enter  the 
Christian  Church  by  the  Jewish  door.  All 
praise  to  Paul — Jew  that  he  was — for  his 
vigorous  defence  of  Gentile  rights!  Hear 
him:  "A  man  is  not  justified  by  the  works  of 
the  law,  but  by  the  faith  of  Jesus  Christ."  "I 
do  not  frustrate  the  grace  of  God;  for  if 
righteousness  come  by  the  law,  then  Christ 
is  dead  in  vain!"  *'I  am  crucified  with  Christ: 
nevertheless  I  live ;  yet  not  I,  but  Christ  liveth 
in  me:  and  the  life  which  I  now  live  in  the 
flesh  I  live  by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God, 
who  loved  me  and  gave  himself  for  me." 

WITCHCRAFT 
Chapter  3 

"O  foolish  Galatians,  who  hath  bewitched 
you?"    A  severe  indictment,  this,  but  amply 

47 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

justified,  as  Paul  proceeds  to  show,  by  the 
facts  in  the  case.  By  lending  an  ear  to  those 
who  taught  salvation  by  deeds  of  the  law,  they 
had  been  as  really  bewitched  as  King  Saul 
was  at  En-dor.  And  how  groundlessly !  For 
Christ  had  been  "evidently  set  forth  crucified" 
among  them.  Wherefore  they  were  without 
excuse. 

Those  among  them  who  were  converted 
Jews  professed  to  be  children  of  Abraham; 
but  even  Abraham,  as  Paul  shows,  was  not 
saved  by  works;  he  "believed  God,  and  it  was 
accounted  to  him  for  righteousness."  This 
belief  in  God  was  based  upon  the  Messianic 
promise,  "In  thee  shall  all  the  families  of  the 
earth  be  blessed."  (Gen.  12:3.)  In  other 
words,  Abraham  was  a  Christian  and  was 
saved  by  faith  in  the  Saviour  whom  he  saw 
afar  off. 

Not  only  so,  the  Ceremonial  Law  was  so  far 
from  having  of  itself  any  saving  power  that 
it  was  merely  "a  schoolmaster  to  lead  unto 
Christ,"  which  is  evident  in  the  fact  that  all 
its  rites  and  ceremonies,  its  oblations  and  ablu- 
tions, its  ark  and  altars  and  sacrifices,  pointed 
forward  to  him. 

48 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

*'Not  all  the  blood  of  beasts 

On  Jewish  altars  slain 
Can  give  the  guilty  conscience  peace 

Or  take  away  its  stain; 
But  Christ,  the  heavenly  Lamb, 

Takes  all  our  sins  away, 
A  sacrifice  of  nobler  name 

And  richer  blood  than  they." 

By  this  it  appears  that  the  old-time  worth- 
ies were  saved  precisely  as  we  are — they  by 
looking  forward  and  we  by  looking  backward 
to  Christ.  As  there  is  only  one  God,  so  there 
is  only  one  way  of  approach  to  him.  ."I  am 
the  way,"  said  Jesus;  "no  man  cometh  unto 
the  Father  but  by  me."  One  God,  one  Gos- 
pel of  salvation,  "one  Church  above,  beneath, 
though  now  divided  by  the  stream,  the  narrow 
stream  of  death."  Thus  are  the  ends  of  the 
earth  and  of  history  brought  nigh  together, 
even  as  Paul  says,  "There  is  neither  Jew  nor 
Greek;  ye  are  all  the  children  of  God  by  faith 
in  Christ  Jesus.  '  And  if  ye  be  Christ's,  then 
are  ye  Abraham's  seed."  Which  is  only  an- 
other way  of  saying  that  all  who  have  believed 
in  Christ  since  the  foundation  of  the  world 
belong  to  the  true  Israel  of  God. 

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PAUL'S    LETTERS 

AN   ALLEGORY 
Chapter  4 

"It  IS  written  that  Abraham  had  two  sons, 
the  one  by  a  bondmaid,  the  other  by  a  free 
woman:  which  things  are  an  allegory;  for 
these  are  the  two  covenants'' 

First,  the  Covenant  of  Works.  "The  Law 
is  not  of  faith,  but  the  man  that  doeth  them 
shall  live  in  them";  and,  conversely,  whosoever 
breaketh  the  Law  shall  die  under  it.  "The 
wages  of  sin  is  death."  Sin,  in  the  nature 
and  necessity  of  the  case,  alienates  from  a  holy 
God;  ^nd  this  is  spiritual  death.  To  be  with 
God  is  heaven ;  to  be  anywhere  away  from  God 
is  hell. 

The  Law  requires  perfect  obedience.  One 
sin  is  enough  to  make  an  outlaw ;  as  it  is  writ- 
ten, "Whosoever  shall  keep  the  whole  Law, 
and  yet  offend  in  one  point,  he  is  guilty  of 
all."  The  moment  a  planet  leaves  its  orbit 
by  so  much  as  an  inch  it  becomes  a  wanderer 
in  infinite  space.  "The  soul  that  sinneth,  it 
shall  die";  that  is,  it  shall  part  company  with 
God. 

And,  alas,  "there  is  none  that  doeth  good, 
no,  not  one!"    "The  Scripture  hath  con-eluded 

so 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

(i.  e.,  shut  up  together)  all  under  sin."  No 
longer  free,  but  servants  of  sin!  Children  of 
the  bondwoman!  Aliens  from  the  common- 
wealth of  Israel!  Exiles  from  the  presence 
of  a  hoty  God! 

And  law  deals  only  with  justice.  It  knows 
no  mercy.  It  makes  no  provision  for  pardon. 
It  exacts  its  penalty  to  the  uttermost  farth- 
ing. Wherefore  under  the  covenant  of  works 
the  sinner  is  "without  God  and  without  hope 
in  the  world."  What  is  to  be  done?  Noth- 
ing, unless  the  omniscient  and  omnipotent 
God  shall  make  bare  his  arm. 

Second,  the  Covenant  of  Grace.  In  the 
fulness  of  time  God  does  make  bare  his  arm. 
He  interposes  in  behalf  of  the  hopeless  race, 
as  it  is  written,  "God  so  loved  the  world  that 
he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever 
believeth  in  him  should  not  perish  but  have 
everlasting  life."  Thus  those  who  were  con- 
demned under  the  old  Covenant  of  Works  are 
justified  by  faith  under  the  new  Covenant  of 
Grace:  as  it  is  written,  "For  what  the  Law 
could  not  do,  in  that  it  was  weak  through  the 
flesh  (i.  e.,  our  sinful  flesh),  God,  sending 
his  own  Son  in  the  likeness  of  sinful  flesh, 

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PAUL'S    LETTERS 

and  for  sin,  condemned  sin  in  the  flesh,  that 
the  righteousness  of  the  Law  might  be  ful- 
filled in  us."     (Romans  8:3.) 

That  is,  if  we  choose  to  have  it  so.  For 
every  man  must  determine  for  himself  whether 
he  will  live  under  the  Covenant  of  Works  or 
under  the  Covenant  of  Grace,  whether  he  will 
be  a  child  of  the  bondwoman  or  of  the  free- 
woman,  whether  he  will  accept  the  wages  of 
sin  which  is  death,  or  the  gift  of  God  which  is 
eternal  life. 

This  is  where  the  Galatians  were  in  danger 
of  being  led  astray,  of  leaving  Christ  and  re- 
turning to  the  bondage  of  the  Jewish  law. 
Nor  has  that  danger  passed.  In  our  time 
Judaism  is  as  much  in  evidence  as  ever.  Men 
would  rather  be  saved  under  the  law  than  un- 
der grace.  Grace  and  gratis  are  cognate 
words.  Pride  forbids  our  taking  salvation 
"without  money  and  without  price."  That 
word  gratis  offends  the  natural  man.  If  it 
were  possible  that  a  pilgrimage  of  a  thousand 
miles  afoot  on  bread  and  water  could  earn 
a  "title  clear  to  mansions  in  the  skies,"  the 
thoroughfare  would  be  crowded.  But  that  is 
impossible;  good  works  have  no  atoning  pow- 

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PAUL'S    LETTERS 

er:  there  is  no  adaptation  of  the  means  to  the 
end.  Good  behavior  has  no  margin  to  apply 
beyond  the  passing  hour. 

Nor  is  there  any  expiatory  value  in  punish- 
ment. Not  all  the  fires  of  hell  itself  can  burn 
out  the  record  of  past  sin.  The  dead  cannot 
bury  its  dead.  Unless  God  interposes  in  his 
behalf,  the  bondwoman's  child  can  never  be- 
come an  heir  of  God.  The  Cross  is  the  one 
monument  of  grace.  Its  benefits  are  gratis, 
based  on  the  sole  condition  of  faith.  * 'Who- 
soever will,  let  him  come."  To  will  to  accept 
Christ  and  be  saved  through  him  is  to  cross 
the  line  from  hell  to  heaven.  To  will  to  be 
saved  by  personal  merit  is  to  remain  under  the 
sentence  of  the  law.  And  every  one  must  say 
for  himself  which  it  shall  be. 

STANDFASTNESS 
Chapter  5 

The  argument  thus  far  is  unanswerable  and 
its  conclusion  is  inevitable:  "Stand  fast  there- 
fore!" In  what?  "In  the  liberty  wherewith 
Christ  hath  made  us  free."  As  against  what? 
As  against  any  "entanglement  with  the  yoke 
of  bondage";  the  old  yoke  of  Judaism,  that  is 

53 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

— the  hope  of  winning  heaven  by  deeds  of  the 
law. 

(1)  The  Judaizers  in  Corinth  were  saying 
that  circumcision  was  necessary  for  entrance 
into  the  Church.  Paul  says,  "If  ye  be  circum- 
cised, Christ  shall  profit  you  nothing."  The 
moment  one  consents  that  justification  is  by 
works  instead  of  faith,  he  "falls  from  grace" 
and  "becomes  a  debtor  to  do  the  whole  law." 
There  can  be  no  compromise.  The  only  con- 
dition affixed  to  full  and  complete  salvation 
is  faith,  as  Jesus  said,  "This  is  the  work  of 
God  (i.e.,  the  only  work  that  commends  us 
in  the  sight  of  God),  that  ye  believe  on  him 
whom  he  hath  sent."  (John  6:29.) 

(2)  Wherefore,  says  Paul,  yield  not  an 
inch.  It  is  dangerous  to  palter  with  error: 
"a  little  leaven  leaventh  the  whole  lump."  If 
we  are  saved  gratis,  then  we  are  no  longer 
under  the  yoke  of  legalism.  Does  this  mean 
that  as  Christians  we  are  absolved  from  obedi- 
ence to  the  moral  law?  Not  at  all!  Listen 
to  Paul  in  another  place  (Romans  6:2)  :  "How 
shall  we  that  are  dead  to  sin  live  any  longer 
therein?  God  forbid!"  But  obedience  is  now 
lifted  from  the  carnal  plane  of  duty  to  the 

54. 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

spiritual  plane  of  love.  If  we  are  true  fol- 
lowers of  Christ,  we  keep  the  law  "not  for  the 
hope  of  winning  heaven  or  of  escaping  hell," 
but  from  a  sense  of  gratitude  to  him  who 
suffered  on  the  Cross  to  deliver  us  from  the 
shame  and  power  and  penalty  of  sin. 

(3)  Thus,  says  Paul,  we  are  "called  unto 
liberty."  He  is  the  freeman  whom  the  truth 
makes  free, 

"Free  from  the  law,  O  happy  condition! 
Jesus  hath  died  and  there  is  remission; 
Cursed  by  the  law,  and  bruised  by  the  fall, 
Christ  hath  redeemed  us  once  for  all." 

Where  then  do  good  works  come  in?  As 
the  test  and  touchstone  of  faith,  and  as  a 
preparation  for  service  further  on.  Our  title 
clear  to  heaven  is  assured  solely  by  faith  in 
Christ ;  but  what  sort  of  a  heaven  that  will  be 
is  determined  by  our  walk  and  conversation 
here  and  now.  Some  are  saved  like  Lot  "so 
as  by  fire,"  while  others  go  "sweeping  through 
the  gates"  with  an  abundant  entrance  into  the 
Kingdom  of  God.    (Read  1  Cor.  3:10-14.) 

Our  life  here  is  merely  an  apprenticeship  in 
which  we  learn  how  to  do  things  in  that  heav- 
en further  on  where  "his  servants  do  serve 

55 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

him.''  Alas  for  the  minimum  Christian  who 
goes  out  into  eternity  like  an  unskilled  work- 
man; but  "they  that  be  wise  shall  shine  as 
the  brightness  of  the  firmament ;  and  they  that 
turn  many  to  righteousness  as  the  stars  for- 
ever and  ever."  Oh,  yes,  good  works  tell,  tell 
forever;  but  not  for  salvation,  which  is  only 
and  always  "the  gift  of  God." 

(4)  Thus  Paul  arrives,  naturally  and  logi- 
cally, at  the  conflict  between  the  flesh  and 
the  spirit,  which  is  the  great  conflict  of  the 
Christian  life.  And  here  are  the  two  categor- 
ies: read  them:  "The  works  of  the  flesh" 
(verses  19-21),  and  'Hhe  fruit  (i.  e.,  the  nat- 
ural outgrowth)  of  the  Spirit"  (verses  22,  23.) 
In  other  words,  the  "good  works"  of  a  Chris- 
tian are  not  such  as  are  laboriously  wrought 
in  obedience  to  law  but  such  as  grow  natur- 
ally out  of  a  sense  of  gratitude  to  him  who 
loved  us  and  gave  himself  for  us:  that  is  to 
say,  they  are  an  expression  of  "the  glorious 
liberty  of  the  children  of  God." 

CONCLUSION 

Chapter  6 

The  Apostle  has  now  accomplished  his  pur- 
pose in  this  Epistle,  which  was  to  show  the 

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PAUL'S    LETTERS 

vital  importance  of  the  doctrine  of  Justifica- 
tion by  Faith. 

It  remains  for  him  to  say  what  shall  be 
done  with  the  Jewish  propagandists  who  have 
been  so  sedulously  advocating  the  false  doc- 
trine of  justification  by  works.  He  has  already 
intimated  that  they  should  be  "cut  off,"  i.  e., 
subjected  to  church  discipline;  but  he  now  de- 
clares that  such  discipline  must  only  be  ad- 
ministered "in  the  spirit  of  meekness"  and 
with  a  view  to  their  "restoration,"  since,  when 
all  is  said  and  done,  love  is  the  fulfilling  of 
the  law. 

Then  follows  a  singular  farewell:  "Ye  see 
how  large  a  letter  I  have  written  unto  you 
with  mine  own  hand."  In  fact,  however,  this 
Epistle  of  only  six  chapters  is  not  a  large  one : 
but  it  was  written  in  "large  letters"  (R.  V.) 
as  the  half -blind  Apostle  would  be  likely  to 
write;  and,  most  significantly,  it  was  written, 
not  like  the  other  Epistles  by  the  hand  of  an 
amanuensis,  but  doubtless  with  much  difficulty 
with  the  tremulous  own  hand  of  Paul.  Thus 
does  he  certify  to  his  deep  concern  for  the 
welfare  of  his  Galatian  friends. 

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PAUL'S    LETTERS 

But  suppose  he  should  be  criticised  for  an 
undue  presumption  upon  his  apostolic  func- 
tions? Listen  to  his  noli  me  tangere:  "Let 
no  man  trouble  me;  I  bear  about  in  my  body 
the  stigmata  of  the  Lord  Jesus!"  His  scars 
of  service  are  his  best  credentials.  And  the 
same  holds  true  of  all  who  follow  Christ. 

Finally  what?  Grace,  of  course.  ''Brethren, 
the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with 
your  spirit." 


58 


THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  EPHESIANS 
THE  CHURCH 

(As  an  introduction  to  this  Epistle  the  stu- 
dent would  do  well  to  read  Acts  19:1-10,  in 
which  an  account  is  given  of  Paul's  first  visit 
to  the  Christians  at  Ephesus,  A,  Z).  55;  also 
Acts  20:17-38,  where,  four  years  later,  he  bids 
them  farewell, ) 

This  Epistle  was  written  while  Paul  was  a 
prisoner  in  the  Prgetorian  camp  at  Rome, 
A.  D.  64.  While  it  was  addressed  in  particular 
to  the  Christians  at  Ephesus  it  was  really  a 
round  robin,  intended  for  all  the  churches 
then  and  now. 

Its  theme  is  The  Church,  and  it  contains 
all  ecclesiology  in  a  nutshell.  It  portrays  the 
Church  as  a  living  organism,  made  up  of  all 
in  every  age  and  of  every  name  who  are  by 
faith  vitally  united  with  Christ.  Not  all  whose 

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PAUL'S    LETTERS 

names  are  written  on  the  visible  roster  of  the 
denominations  are  really  members  of  this  in- 
visible organism;  but  only  such  as  have  their 
names  written  in  the  Lamb's  book  of  life  by 
reason  of  a  living  faith  in  him. 

THE  BODY  OF  CHRIST 
Chaptee  1 

The  customary  greeting  of  the  Apostle, 
"Grace  be  to  you,"  is  immediately  followed  by 
a  grateful  recognition  of  that  grace  in  Elec- 
tion, as  the  divine  method  of  incorporating 
penitent  sinners  into  the  Church  as  members 
of  the  living  body  of  Christ. 

This  election,  says  Paul,  is  "a  mystery": 
wherefore  he  does  not  undertake  to  explain  it. 
But  there  are  some  things,  nevertheless,  that 
we  know  and  may  confidently  affirm  concern- 
ing it.  First,  it  is  a  fact.  God  would  not  be 
omniscient  did  he  not  foresee  the  future;  and 
what  God  foresees  is  as  certain  to  come  to  pass 
as  if  he  foreordained  it.  Second,  the  doctrine 
of  Election  is  not  inconsistent  with  the  free- 
dom of  the  human  will.  God  has  foreknown 
from  all  eternity  whether  or  no  I  will  lift  my 
hand  a  moment  from  now;  but  I  know  that  I 

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PAUL'S    LETTERS 

can  do  as  I  please  about  it.  Third,  the  impor- 
tant matter  is  not  that  I  should  pry  into  the 
why  and  wherefore  of  Election,  which  is  one 
of  the  state  secrets  of  the  Almighty,  but  that 
I  should  make  my  own  "calling  and  election 
sure"  by  accepting  Christ,  as  Paul  says,  "for 
the  forgiveness  of  sins  according  to  the  riches 
of  his  grace." 

The  moment  a  sinner  does  that  he  becomes 
a  new  man  in  Christ  Jesus,  being  incorporated 
into  the  invisible  Church,  which  is  his  body, 
as  a  living  member  of  it.  This  is  "the  mystery 
of  his  will."  In  pursuance  of  that  mystery 
all  things  will  ultimately  be  "gathered  togeth- 
er in  one  in  Christ,  according  to  the  purpose 
of  him  who  worketh  all  things  after  the  coun- 
sel of  his  own  will." 

This  chapter  ends  with  one  of  the  most  re- 
markable prayers  ever  offered  (verses  15-23), 
which  closes  with  a  grateful  and  exultant  trib- 
ute to  God,  who  has  thus  in  the  exercise  of  his 
sovereign  will  put  all  things  under  the  feet 
of  his  beloved  Son  and  given  him  to  be  "the 
Head  over  all  to  the  Church,  which  is  his 
body,  the  fulness  of  him  that  fiUeth  all  in  all." 


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PAUL'S    LETTERS 

A  LIVING  BODY 
Chapter  2 

In  this  chapter  Christians  are  enjoined  to 
"remember"  certain  things.  The  first  is  that 
until  the  hour  of  their  conversion  they  were 
"dead  in  trespasses  and  sins."  This  is  no 
mere  figure  of  speech.  We  know  that  a  man 
is  physically  dead  when  his  physical  powers 
no  longer  function.  He  has  eyes  but  they  see 
not,  ears  but  they  hear  not;  his  lips  are  dumb 
and  his  heart  is  still.  In  like  manner  a  man 
is  spiritually  dead  when  his  spiritual  faculties 
are  inoperative:  when  he  cares  nothing  for  life 
and  immortality,  nothing  for  God's  Word  and 
work,  has  lost  "the  gift  of  the  knees"  and  is 
out  of  touch  with  God. 

The  second  thing  to  "remember"  is  that  con- 
version is  a  "quickening"  from  the  dead.  It 
is  a  "gain-birth,"  as  the  fathers  used  to  call 
it.  The  Christian  is  "a  new  man  in  Christ 
Jesus":  he  is  "alive  from  the  dead,"  being 
risen  with  Christ  to  newness  of  life.  And 
this  is  his  de  facto  initiation  into  the  invisible 
Church.  As  Paul  puts  it,  whereas  "ye  were 
aliens  from  the  commonwealth  of  Israel  and 
strangers  from  the  covenants  of  promise,"  ye 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

are  now  "fellow-citizens  with  the  saints  and  of 
the  household  of  God." 

The  third  thing  here  called  to  remembrance 
is  that  all  this  is  not  for  personal  merit  but 
"that  God  might  show  the  exceeding  riches 
of  his  grace  in  his  kindness  toward  us."  We 
cannot  take  credit  for  the  act  of  faith  which 
unites  us  with  Christ;  "for  by  grace  are  ye 
saved,  through  faith,  and  that  not  of  your- 
selves ;  it  is  the  gift  of  Godf' 

In  the  last  three  verses  of  this  chapter  we 
have  Paul's  splendid  description  of  the  Church 
as  a  Temple.     (1)   Its  corner-stone  is  Christ. 

(2)  Its  foundation  is  "the  apostles  and  proph- 
ets," i.  e.,  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New 
Testaments  as  the   veritable  Word  of   God. 

(3)  It  "groweth."  The  word  here  is  used 
only  of  organic  growth;  i.  e.,  of  a  living  thing. 
In  one  of  Ruskin's  Essays  he  speaks  of  archi- 
tecture as  "frozen  music,"  but  this  is  not  true 
of  the  Church.  Its  members  are  "living  stones, 
built  up  a  spiritual  house"  (cf.  1  Peter  2:5), 
stones  with  eyes  to  see  and  hearts  to  pity  and 
voices  to  sing  "all  hail  the  power  of  Jesus' 
name."  (4)  It  groweth  "unto  a  holy  tem- 
ple    ..     .     for  a  habitation  of  God."    This 

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PAUL'S    LETTERS 

is  the  end  and  purpose  of  the  Church,  to  be 
a  center  for  the  radiation  of  all  the  sweet  in- 
fluences of  truth  and  righteousness  and  life. 

AN  ARTICULATED  BODY 
Chapter  3 

At  this  point  the  Apostle  unveils  the  fel- 
lowship of  the  mystery,  presenting  the  Church 
as  a  family,  constituted  of  many  articulated 
members,  into  w^hich  the  Gentiles  are  wel- 
comed on  an  even  footing  with  the  Jews,  as 
"fellow-heirs  and  partakers  of  the  promises 
in  Christ." 

A  sidelight  is  thus  opened  into  the  domestic 
life  of  the  Church ;  a  vision  that  carries  us  back 
to  the  supper-room  in  Jerusalem  where  Jesus 
spoke  of  "the  Father's  house";  and  to  "the 
church  in  the  house"  of  the  early  Christians, 
and  onward  to  heaven  as  our  final  home, 
whereof  we  sing, 

"One  family  we  dwell  in  him, 
One  Church  above,  beneath, 
Though  now  divided  by  the  stream. 
The  narrow  stream  of  death." 

There  is  no  tie  of  blood  that  can  bind  us  so 
closely  in  kinship  as  does  the  blood  of  our 
Saviour.    The  death  that  breaks  up  all  earth- 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

ly  homes  can  only  reunite  the  several  mem- 
bers of  Christ. 

It  was  a  wonderful  prayer  that  Paul  of- 
fered in  chapter  1;  but  observe  how  his  soul 
mounts  to  loftier  realms  in  the  prayer  which 
he  now  offers:  "I  bow  my  knees  unto  the 
God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
of  whom  the  whole  family  in  heaven  and  earth 
is  named,"  etc.  (verses  14-21).  Was  there 
ever  a  "family  prayer"  like  this?  Was  ever 
one  that  so  mounted  up  as  on  eagle's  wings  to 
sweep  the  sunlit  heavens  with  undazzled  eyes? 
It  ends  its  flight  only  in  the  immediate  pres- 
ence of  him  who  sitteth  on  the  great  white 
throne — "that  je  might  be  filled  with  all  the 
fulness  of  God!" 

ONE  BODY 

Chapter  4 

He  dwells  here  on  the  unity,  diversity  and 
co-operate  efficiency  of  the   Church. 

First,  its  unity:  "One  Lord,  one  faith,  one 
baptism,"  i.  e.,  of  the  Spirit  for  growth  in 
character  and  usefulness;  "one  God  and  Fa- 
ther of  all,  who  is  above  all  and  through  all 
and  in  you  all." 

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PAUL'S    LETTERS 

Second,  its  diversity.  No  two  Christians 
are  precisely  alike,  for  "unto  every  one  is  giv- 
en grace  according  to  the  measure  of  the  gift 
of  Christ."  The  risen  and  reigning  Christ  is 
set  forth  as  the  measurer  of  divers  gifts  to  his 
people,  which  they  are  enjoined  to  use  without 
envying.  Shall  the  hand  say  to  the  foot,  "I 
have  no  need  of  thee"?  (Read  1  Cor.  12.) 
The  glory  of  the  Church  is  this  unity  in  diver- 
sity. 

Men,  like  sheep,  are  made  to  segregate. 
"Birds  of  a  feather  flock  together."  Baptists, 
Methodists,  Episcopalians  and  Presbyterians 
are  where  they  belong.  They  differ  and  group 
themselves  accordingly.  No  effort  to  combine 
them  with  iron  clamps  will  succeed  or  ever 
should,  because  "God  hath  made  them  so." 
But  underlying  all  their  divergences  is  a  vital 
bond  of  union  in  their  mutual  devotion  to 
Christ  and  to  the  vital  truths  and  principles 
that  center  in  him.  It  is  a  wise  proverb  that 
"fences  make  good  neighbors,"  providing 
they  are  not  "spite  fences":  for  "love  is  the 
fulfilling  of  the  law." 

Third,  the  important  thing  to  be  desired  is 
not  rigid  uniformity,  but  mutual  co-operation, 

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PAUL'S    LETTERS 

in  which  all  the  differing  members  of  the  body 
of  Christ  shall  agree  to  differ  and  keep  sweet. 
Everything  depends  on  the  pervasive  life  of 
Christ,  "from  whom  the  whole  body,  fitly 
joined  together  and  compacted  by  that  which 
every  joint  supplieth,  according  to  the  effec- 
tual working  in  the  measure  of  every  part, 
maketh  increase  of  the  body  unto  the  edifying 
of  itself  in  love." 

In  pursuance  of  these  conditions  the  mem- 
bers of  the  church  are  exhorted  (1)  to  "put 
away  lying  to  their  neighbor,"  (2)  to  "put 
of"  the  sinful  habits  of  the  carnal  man,  (3) 
and  to  "put  on  the  new  man,  which  after 
God  is  created  in  righteousness  and  true  holi- 


ness." 


A  NUPTIAL  BODY 
Chapter  5 

The  apostle  here  suggests  "a  great  mys- 
tery"; to  wit,  the  relation  of  Christ  to  his 
Church  as  the  Bridegroom  to  his  bride.  "And 
they  twain  shall  be  one  flesh."  A  great  mys- 
tery indeed!  We  are  "flesh  of  his  flesh  and 
bone  of  his  bone!"  The  same  figure  runs 
through   Scripture   from   beginning   to   end. 

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PAUL'S    LETTERS 

(See  Solomon's   Song;  Hosea  2:16  and  19 
20;    Isaiah    54:5    and    62:5;   Jeremiah   3:14; 
John  3:29;  Rev.  21:2-9,  etc.) 

In  view  of  this  mystical  union  of  the  Church 
with  Christ,  its  members  are  enjoined  to  pur- 
ity of  life.  "Be  ye  therefore  followers  of  God, 
as  dear  children,"  i.  e.,  as  children  adopted 
into  spiritual  kinship  with  Christ  the  only-be- 
gotten Son.  For  "as  the  husband  is  head  of 
the  wife,  even  so  Christ  is  the  head  of  the 
Church";  and  as  husbands  love  their  wives 
even  so  "Christ  also  loved  the  Church  and 
gave  himself  for  it."  Why?  "That  he  might 
sanctify  and  cleanse  it." 

It  thus  appears  that  the  Church  is  not  per- 
fect as  yet;  but  the  time  is  coming  when  the 
Bridegroom  shall  lead  his  bride  to  the  altar 
"without  spot  or  blemish  or  any  such  thing." 
Not  one  in  all  the  assembled  multitude  shall 
then  be  able  to  point  a  scornful  finger  at  her. 
The  Church  will  be  arrayed  in  "fine  linen, 
clean  and  w^hite,  which  is  the  righteousness  of 
saints."  Then  the  marriage  supper  of  the 
Lamb.     May  we  be  there  to  partake  of  it! 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

A  MILITANT  BODY 
Chapter  6 

It  IS  written  of  Christ  that  he  came  not  only 
to  die  for  the  ruined  race  and  so  to  open  the 
gates  of  heaven  for  all  believers,  but  "to  de- 
stroy the  works  of  the  devil,"  and  thus  make 
this  world  a  better  place  to  live  in.  "I  am 
come,"  he  said,  "not  to  bring  peace  but  a 
sword."  This  means  the  Holy  War.  The 
Church  is  presented  as  an  army,  in  which  all 
Christians  are  enlisted  to  fight  against  sin, 
against  every  form  of  sin,  against  the  works 
of  the  devil  in  themselves  and  everywhere  in 
this  world  of  ours. 

The  countersign  is  En  devoir!  Ever  on 
guard!  And  a  divine  armory  is  provided  for 
the  equipment  of  every  follower  of  Christ. 
"Take  unto  you  the  whole  armor  of  God; — 
girdle  of  truth,  breastplate  of  righteousness, 
sandals  of  preparation,  shield  of  faith,  helmet 
of  salvation  (all  hail,  the  white  plume!)  and 
(as  your  only  weapon)  the  sword  of  the  Spirit 
which  is  the  Word  of  God."  Thus  harnessed, 
we  are  enjoined  to  "stand"  and  "withstand," 
to  defend  ourselves  and  contend  for  the  wel- 
fare of  all. 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

It  thus  appears  that  the  Church  is  the  uni- 
versal "League  to  Enforce  Peace."  Where- 
fore the  Apostle  concludes  this  great  Epistle 
with  the  words  "Peace  be  to  the  brethren,  and 
love  with  faith";  and  one  thing  more,  his  in- 
dispensable sign-manual,  "Grace  be  with  all 
them  that  love  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  Amen." 


70 


VI 


THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  PHILIPPIANS 
THE  GREATER  SALVATION 

The  story  of  the  Philippian  Church  is 
fraught  with  romantic  interest.  It  began  in 
the  year  53,  when  Paul  on  his  second  mis- 
sionary journey  had  reached  Troas,  where  he 
awaited  the  direction  of  the  Holy  Spirit  as  to 
his  further  progress.  Nor  did  he  wait  in  vain. 
In  the  night  he  saw  a  man  of  Macedonia  beck- 
oning and  calling,  "Come  over  and  help  us!'* 
Paul  was  never  "disobedient  to  the  heavenly 
vision."  He  knew  what  this  meant — on  to 
Europe — on  to  Europe  and  the  conquest  of 
the  world! 

We  can  imagine  him  down  at  the  dock  in 
the  early  morning,  inquiring  for  the  first  ship 
to  cross  the  Hellespont.  In  company  with 
Silas,  Timothy  and  Luke  he  landed  at  Neap- 
olis  and  immediately  pushed  on  by  the  moun- 
tain road  to  Philippi,  in  quest  of  the  man  with 
outstretched  hands.    There  was  no  synagogue 

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PAUL'S    LETTERS 

in  the  city;  but  just  outside  there  was  a  j)^^- 
seuclia  or  "place  where  prayer  was  wont  to  be 
made."  Finding  a  group  of  Jewish  women 
assembled  there,  Paul  preached  to  them  with 
such  effect  that  among  others  Lydia,  a  wealthy 
and  influential  purple-seller,  was  converted. 
She,  strange  to  say,  proved  to  be  the  "man 
of  Macedonia."  In  the  course  of  his  brief 
campaign  so  many  others  were  converted  that 
when  Paul  was  obliged  to  leave  the  city  he  left 
behind  him  a  strong  church,  probably  wor- 
shipping in  the  house  of  Lydia,  and  counting 
in  its  membership  a  slave  girl,  formerly  a 
pythoness,  and  the  jailer  of  Philippi  with  his 
whole  family:  so  that,  notwithstanding  the 
hardships  involved,  Paul  had  reason  to  rejoice 
in  many  trophies  of  grace. 

It  was  now  64  A.  D.  Eleven  years  had 
elapsed,  eventful  years.  Paul  was  a  prisoner 
in  the  Praetorian  camp  at  Rome,  nearing  the 
end  of  his  busy  life.  The  memories  of  past 
sufferings  and  blessings  came  crowding  thick 
and  fast  upon  him.  He  saw  again  the  beck- 
oning hands  of  Macedonia.    Hence  this  letter. 

Observe  its  greetings:  "I  have  you  in  my 
heart";  "I  long  after  you";  "I  thank  my  God 

n 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

upon  every  remembrance  of  you";  '*In  every 
prayer  of  mine  for  you  all  making  request 
with  joy";  "I  am  confident  that  he  which  hath 
begun  a  good  work  in  you  will  perfect  it"; 
and  (of  course)  "The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  be  with  you  all." 

Then  another  of  Paul's  wonderful  prayers 
(verses  9-11)  in  which  he  asks  (1)  that  these 
Philippian  Christians  may  "abound  in  knowl- 
edge and  common  sense"  (margin),  (2)  that 
they  may  "try  the  things  that  differ"  (mar- 
gin) and  so  discriminate  between  truth  and 
error;  (3)  that  they  "may  be  sincere  and  with- 
out offence  until  the  coming  of  Christ,"  and 
(4)  that  they  "may  be  filled  with  the  fruits 
of  righteousness  unto  the  glory  and  praise  of 
God."    What  more  could  be  desired? 

And  after  that,  throughout  the  whole  of 
this  brief  Epistle,  he  dwells  upon  the  Greater 
Salvation,  i.  e.,  the  "good  work"  which  the 
Lord  had  "begun"  in  them.  Only  begun, 
mark  you.  If  any  Christian  imagines  that  the 
end  of  salvation  is  mere  deliverance  from  the 
penalty  of  sin  he  is  tremendously  mistaken. 
The  moment  one  accepts  Christ  as  his  Saviour 
he  is  truly  and  entirely  saved  from  all  danger 

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PAUL'S   LETTERS 

of  spiritual  death;  but  if  that  were  all  it  would 
merely  induct  him  into  the  vestibule  of  a  mea- 
ger heaven.  This  is  but  the  initial  step  of  a 
journey  whose  end  is  perfection — perfection 
in  character  and  perfect  efficiency  in  the 
Lord's  service. 

THE  MINISTRY  OF  SUFFERING 
Chapter  1 

The  first  factor  which  enters  into  the  prob- 
lem of  the  Greater  Salvation  is  suifering  for 
Christ's  sake.  A  church  member  who  knows 
nothing  of  this  has  reason  to  suspect  his  call- 
ing. It  is  only  those  who  have  offered  them- 
selves to  "the  fellowship  of  the  sufferings  of 
Christ  for  righteousness'  sake"  who  shall  ulti- 
mately put  on  the  crown  of  righteousness  and 
reign  with  him. 

(1)  As  for  himself,  says  Paul,  though  his 
"bonds  in  Christ  are  manifest,"  they  in  com- 
mon with  everything  else  that  has  happened, 
"have  fallen  out  unto  the  furtherance  of  the 
Gospel";  wherefore  his  friends  in  Philippi 
must  not  worry  on  his  account.  It  is  enough 
for  him  that  Christ  is  being  "magnified  in  his 
body,  whether  it  be  by  life  or  by  death." 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

(2)  As  for  themselves,  he  exhorts  them  to 
"be  nothing  terrified  by  their  adversaries,"  be- 
cause it  "is  given  unto  them,  in  the  behalf 
of  Christ,  not  only  to  believe  on  him  but  also 
to  suffer  for  his  sake."  Paul  could  think  of 
no  greater  privilege  than  to  "fill  up  that  which 
is  behind  of  the  sufferings  of  Christ,"  a  privi- 
lege of  which  their  persecutions  were  a  mani- 
fest proof  and  token.  For  if  they  were  duly 
"exercised  thereby"  they  would  find  that  in 
patient  endurance  they  were  moving  on 
toward  the  ultimate  attainment  of  perfection 
in  the  spiritual  life. 

We  who  are  living  in  these  piping  times  of 
peace  can  scarcely  realize  what  all  this  meant 
to  the  Christians  of  those  days:  but  it  is  as 
true  now  as  ever  that  cross-bearing  is  an  im- 
measurable factor  in  character-building,  and 
that  those  who  suffer  with  Christ  shall  also 
reign  with  him. 

IMITATIO  CHRISTI 
Chapter  2 

The  second  of  the  factors  that  enter  into  the 
attainment  of  the  Greater  Salvation  is  the 
imitation  of   Christ.     "Let  this  mind  be  in 

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PAUL'S    LETTERS 

you,"  says  Paul,  "which  was  also  in  Christ 
Jesus." 

In  explaining  what  he  means  by  "the  mind 
that  was  in  Christ  Jesus,"  the  Apostle  sets 
forth  a  great  doctrine,  called  by  the  early  fa- 
thers "The  Kenosis,"  which  is  not  sufficiently 
emphasized  in  our  time  (verses  5-11). 

Firsts  Christ  was  "in  the  form  of  God,"  a 
reference  to  his  pre-existence  "in  the  glory 
of  the  Father  before  the  world  was." 

Second,  though  he  was  "equal  with  God"  he 
did  not  think  the  "form"  of  his  Godhead  was 
to  be  so  cherished  as  to  prevent  his  working 
out  salvation  for  the  children  of  men. 

Third,  in  order  to  accomplish  his  beneficent 
purpose  in  our  behalf  he  became  incarnate, 
laying  aside  his  divine  "form"  and  taking 
upon  him  "the  form  of  a  servant,  being  made 
in  the  likeness  of  sinful  men,"  that  so  he  might 
expiate  our  sins  by  becoming  "obedient  unto 
death,  even  the  death  of  the  cross." 

Fourth,  by  this  temporary  surrender  of  his 
divine  glory  he  wrought  out  for  himself  an  im- 
measurable triumph.  When  he  returned  again 
to  "the  glory  which  he  had  with  the  Father 
before    the    world    was,"    what    a    welcome 

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PAUL'S    LETTERS 

awaited  him!  "Lift  up  your  heads,  O  ye  gates, 
and  let  the  King  of  glory  enter  in!"  The 
gates  of  heaven  are  ever  thronged  with  a 
countless  multitude  who  enter  to  sing  the 
praises  of  him  who  hath  redeemed  them  with 
his  blood.  These  are  *'the  fruit  of  the  travail 
of  his  soul,"  of  whom  it  was  prophesied, 
"When  thou  shalt  make  his  soul  an  offering 
for  sin,  he  shall  see  his  seed,  he  shall  prolong 
his  days  and  the  pleasure  of  the  Lord  shall 
prosper  in  his  hand." 

This,  then,  is  the  doctrine  of  the  Kenosis, 
or  "self-emptying"  of  Christ.  This  is  the 
mind  of  self-denial  that  was  in  Christ  Jesus; 
and  this  is  the  mind  that  must  also  be  in  those 
who  profess  to  follow  him. 

And  just  here  is  where  Paul  strikes  the 
keynote  of  the  whole  Epistle  in  these  words: 
''Wherefore  work  out  your  own  salvation  with 
fear  and  trembling,  for  it  is  God  that  worketh 
in  you/^  It  is  obvious  that  he  does  not  refer 
to  mere  salvation  from  the  penalty  of  sin; 
for  all  along  he  has  been  strenuously  insisting 
that  a  salvation  of  that  sort  is  of  grace  and  not 
by  works.  "Ye  are  saved  by  faith,  and  that 
not  your  own,  it  is  the  gift  of  God."    A  larger 

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PAUL'S    LETTERS 

salvation  is  here  designated,  in  which  we  co- 
operate with  God.  It  begins  at  the  moment 
when  one  accepts  Christ  and  is  "worked  out" 
as  he  goes  on  thenceforward  from  grace  to 
grace,  from  glory  to  glory,  translating  faith 
into  the  known  terms  of  character  and  use- 
fulness, until  it  ends  in  a  salvation  not  "so  as 
by  fire,"  but  with  a  triumphant  and  abundant 
entrance  into  the  Kingdom  of  God. 

We  are  encouraged  to  work  out  this  great 
salvation,  because  God  "worketh  in  us  to  will 
and  to  do  of  his  good  pleasure."  We  know 
what  that  "good  pleasure"  is:  it  is  that  we 
should  make  the  most  of  ourselves  by  serving 
him  and  our  fellow-men.  In  thus  co-opera- 
ting with  his  indwelling  Spirit  we  may  be 
confident  of  ultimately  attaining  unto  com- 
plete sanctification ;  for  "if  God  be  for  us, 
who  can  be  against  us?" 

FIRST  FINALLY 
Chapter  3 

"Finally,  my  brethren,  rejoice  in  the  Lord." 
Why  "finally"?  Because  in  striking  this  ex- 
ultant note  the  Apostle  had  reached  a  good 
stopping-place.    We  shall  find  another  "final- 

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PAUL'S    LETTERS 

ly"  further  on  and  one  of  vast  importance; 
all  of  which  intimates  that  Paul  had  reached 
such  momentum  that,  like  many  an  earnest 
preacher,  he  found  two  finallys  necessary  for 
the  "practical  application"  of  his  theme. 

But  why  "rejoice"?  What  ground  of  re- 
joicing had  these  persecuted  church  members 
of  Philippi?  This  in  particular,  that  in  much 
tribulation  and  by  the  patient  imitation  of 
Christ  they  were  surely  working  out  for  them- 
selves a  salvation  which  would  ultimately  in- 
troduce them  into  the  immediate  presence  of 
him  at  whose  right  hand  are  pleasures  for- 
evermore. 

"Rejoice,  ye  pure  in  heart. 

Rejoice,  give  thanks  and  sing; 
Your  glorious  banner  waves  on  high. 

The  Cross  of  Christ  your  King! 
Still  lift  your  standard  high. 

Still  march  in  firm  array ! 
As   warriors,   through  the   darkness   toil 

Till  dawns  the  golden  day!" 

Now  here  is  a  wonderful  thing.  Unable 
to  restrain  himself,  this  worn-out,  half -blind, 
crippled  old  soldier  of  the  Cross  gives  way  to 
his  joy  in  such  boasting  as,  under  other  cir- 

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PAUL'S    LETTERS 

cumstances,  would  have  been  most  unseemly 
(verses  4-14).  But  his  boasting  is  neither 
here  nor  ever  in  himself:  his  birth  as  "a  He- 
brew of  the  Hebrews,"  his  "righteousness  as 
touching  the  Law,"  his  zeal,  culture,  Roman 
citizenship — all  these  are  less  than  nothing. 
"To  know  Christ  and  be  found  in  him,"  this 
is  his  heavenly  privilege,  his  river  of  joy,  his 
irrepressible  boast! 

A  boy  again  in  Tarsus,  he  sits  in  the  agora 
witnessing  an  Olympic  race.  The  king  stands 
by  the  golden  milestone  holding  the  laurel 
wreath.  The  athletes,  stripped  to  the  waist, 
with  every  muscle  tense,  are  at  the  purple  line. 
The  signal  is  given;  the  runners  are  off!  Be- 
hold how  Paul  imagines  himself  among  them: 
"Brethren,  I  count  not  myself  to  have  appre- 
hended (i.  e.,  laid  hands  upon  the  prize)  ;  but 
this  one  thing  I  do:  forgetting  those  things 
which  are  behind  and  reaching  forth  unto  those 
things  which  are  before,  I  press  toward  the 
mark  (the  milestone)  for  the  prize  (the  laurel 
crown)  of  the  high  calling  of  God  in  Christ 
Jesus!" 

And  what  is  this  "high  calling  of  God  in 
Christ  Jesus"?    What  but  the  calling  of  God 

ao 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

to  come  up  higher?  What  but  the  calling  of 
Christ  our  King  to  so  run  as  to  obtain  the  un- 
fading  crown  of  righteousness?  What  but 
the  call  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  co-operate  with 
him  in  working  out  for  ourselves  that  Greater 
Salvation  which  means  not  a  scant  "title  clear 
to  mansions  in  the  skies"  but  the  service  chev- 
ron and  promotion  to  the  front  rank  of  service 
in  the  Kingdom  of  God? 

In  pursuance  of  this  injunction  the  Apos- 
tle warns  the  Christians  of  Philippi  to  be  ever 
on  guard  against  *'dogs  (i.  e.,  carnal  and  mas- 
terless),  evil  workers,  and  the  concision"  (i.  e., 
compromise  with  ceremonialism),  and  to  have 
their  "conversation"  (i.  e.,  manner  of  life)  in 
heaven  *'from  whence  we  look  for  the  coming 
of  Christ." 

SECOND  FINALLY 

Chapter  4 

"Finally,  brethren,  whatsoever  things  are 
true,  whatsoever  things  are  honest  (serious), 
whatsoever  things  are  just,  whatsoever  things 
are  pure,  w^hatsoever  things  are  lovely,  what- 
soever things  are  of  good  report,  if  there  be 

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PAUL'S    LETTERS 

any  virtue  and  if  there  be  any  praise,  think 
on  these  things." 

STOP,  LOOK,  AND  LISTEN ! 

Our  troubles  and  disappointments  are  most 
largely  due  to  thoughtlessness.  "I  didn't 
think"  shuts  the  gates  of  heaven  to  a  great 
multitude  that  no  man  can  number.  The 
sweet  reasonableness  of  the  Great  Salvation 
commends  it  to  all  thoughtful  men.  Every- 
body would  believe  in  Christ  were  it  not  that 
many  refuse  to  look  at  him  long  enough  to 
know  him. 

STAND  FAST! 

"Therefore,  my  brethren  dearly  beloved,  so 
stand  fast  in  the  Lord."  Steadfastness  is 
merely  another  way  of  spelling  Standfastness. 
It  is  well  to  do  well,  but  "patient  continuance 
in  well-doing"  is  what  we  need  most  of  all. 
Wherefore  let  us  run  and  not  faint.  The 
word  of  the  Master  is,  "Be  thou  faithful  unto 
death,  and  I  will  give  thee  the  crown  of  life." 

The  Epistle  closes  with  a  grateful  acknowl- 
edgment of  the  kindness  of  Paul's  Philippian 
friends  in  contributing  "once  and  again"  to 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

his  necessities.  He  wishes  them  to  know,  how- 
ever, that  the  Lord  is  abundantly  providing 
for  him.  Then  the  customary  salutations,  and 
last  of  all  "The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  be  with  you  all,"  without  which  he  can 
never  conclude  his  messages  of  love. 


83 


VII 

THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  COLOSSIANS 
THE  CHRISTOCENTRIC  EPISTLE 

It  was  while  Paul  was  still  a  prisoner  in  the 
PrfBtorian  camp  at  Rome  that  Epaphras,  the 
minister  of  the  church  at  Colosse,  came  to 
visit  him.  It  was  a  long  journey  from  Colosse 
in  the  center  of  Asia  JNIinor  to  Rome;  and 
only  an  errand  of  grave  importance  could  war- 
rant it.  So  far  as  we  know,  Paul  had  never 
been  at  Colosse,  and  the  church  members  there 
were  strangers  to  him.  Their  pastor  was  trou- 
bled by  certain  dissensions  among  them,  due 
to  the  presence  of  false  teachers  who  had  been 
"spoiling  them  through  philosophy  and  vain 
deceit."  Under  these  circumstances,  who 
would  be  so  likely  to  give  him  wise  counsel 
as  Paul  the  aged,  with  his  vast  experience 
and  tact  in  the  administration  of  church  af- 
fairs? Epaphras  found  the  old  man  in  chains 
and  bowed  under  many  burdens,  but  busy  as 
always,  unconquerably  cheerful  and  ready  to 

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PAUL'S    LETTERS 

entertain  his  visitor  with  all  the  resources  of  a 
most  Christian  heart  and  hospitable  hand. 

It  chanced  that  before  this  visit  was  over  a 
disciple  named  Tychicus  was  constrained  to 
make  a  journey  into  the  east  via  Colosse;  and 
Paul  took  advantage  of  the  opportunity  to 
write  this  Epistle  and  forward  it  by  him.  It 
will  be  observed  that,  in  the  prefatory  greet- 
ing, the  apostle  takes  occasion  to  speak  to  the 
members  of  the  Colossian  Church  of  Epaph- 
ras,  their  absent  pastor,  as  "a  faithful  minis- 
ter of  Christ,"  and  again  in  his  closing  salu- 
tations as  one  * 'laboring  fervently  for  you 
in  prayers,  that  ye  may  stand  perfect  and 
complete  in  all  the  will  of  God." 

The  letter  opens  with  "Grace  be  unto  you," 
which  is  followed  by  loving  salutations,  and 
then  by  another  of  Paul's  wonderful  prayers 
(verses  9-15).  In  this  prayer  for  the  church 
members  of  Colosse  he  asks  three  things  in 
particular:  First,  for  their  "knowledge  of 
God's  will,"  that  they  might  "walk  worthy 
of  him."  Second,  for  strength  "according  to 
his  glorious  power"  so  that  in  their  afflictions 
they  might  be  "patient  with  joyfulness."  And 

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PAUL'S    LETTERS 

third,  for  gratitude  by  reason  of  their  trans- 
lation into  *'the  Kingdom  of  his  dear  Son." 

THE  SUPREMACY  OF  CHRIST 
Chapter  1 

(1)  As  Creator.  * 'AH  things  in  heaven  and 
earth,  visible  and  invisible,  were  created  by 
him  and  for  him"  (verses  16,  17). 

(2)  As  "Head  of  the  Church  which  is  his 
body":  wherefore  he,  being  "the  first-born 
from  the  dead,"  is  Elder  Brother  of  all  those 
who  are  quickened  from  the  dead  by  a  living 
faith  in  him  (verses  18-20). 

(3)  As  "Reconciler  of  all  things  unto  him- 
self." An  earnest  and  forecast  of  his  univer- 
sal reign,  when  every  knee  shall  bow  before 
him,  is  given  in  the  reconciliation  of  these 
Christians  of  Colosse,  who  "were  sometime 
alienated  and  enemies  by  wicked  works,"  but 
were  now  incorporated  "into  the  body  of  his 
flesh,"  that  they  might  ultimately  be  presented 
"holy  and  unblamable  and  unreprovable  in 
his  sight"   (verses  21-23). 

To  declare  this  supremacy  of  Christ,  says 
Paul,  is  "the  end  of  his  ministry"  (verses  24- 

86 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

29).    And  by  the  same  token,  it  must  be  the 
aim  and  purpose  of  every  faithful  minister. 

This  brings  us  to  "the  riches  of  the  glory 
of  the  Mystery"  (verses  27-29).  What  is  the 
mystery  here  referred  to?  Nothing  less  than 
"Christ  in  you!"  By  this  we  are  given  to  un- 
derstand that  the  life  of  Christ  as  Head  of  the 
Church  pervades  the  humblest  of  the  members 
of  his  body.  Here  is  a  truth  that  goes  deeper 
even  than  the  intimation  in  the  parable  of 
the  Vine  and  its  branches.  The  will  of  Christ 
as  Saviour  of  the  world  moves  in  us  and 
"works  mightily"  through  us!  Blessed  is  the 
Christian  who  realizes  this  mystery,  for  so  it 
comes  to  pass  that  the  Kingdom  of  God  is 
within  us  and  "the  hope  of  glory"  before  us. 

THE  SUFFICIENCY  OF  CHRIST 
Chapter  2 

We  have  here  a  clear  statement  of  the  great 
doctrine  of  the  Pleroma,  or  fulness  of  Christ. 

(1)  In  him,  says  Paul,  are  "hid  all  the  treas- 
ures of  wisdom  and  knowledge":  this  against 
the  false  teaching  not  only  of  the  Judaizers  and 
Platonists  of  Colosse,  but  everywhere  in  these 

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PAUL'S    LETTERS 

last  days.  What  a  safeguard  would  be  ours 
against  all  error  were  we  willing  to  sit  as  dis- 
ciples at  the  feet  of  our  Master  instead  of  lis- 
tening at  the  false  oracles  of  those  who  would 
"beguile  us  with  enticing  words." 

(2)  "In  him  dwelleth  all  the  fulness  of  the 
Godhead  bodily."  Observe  the  comprehensive- 
ness of  this  statement:  "all  fulness" — "all  the 
fulness  of  the  Godhead" — "all  the  fulness  of 
the  Godhead  bodily!"  If  every  other  affirma- 
tion of  Scripture — and  they  are  many  and 
divers — with  respect  to  the  eternal  and  co- 
equal divineness  of  Christ  were  to  be  explained 
away,  here  is  a  challenge  so  clear,  definite  and 
conclusive  thrit  it  can  only  be  answered  by  an 
outspoken  denial  of  the  Scriptures  as  the 
Word  of  God. 

(3)  "In  him  ye  are  complete."  For  this 
let  us  substitute  the  quaint  rendering  of  the 
Wycliffe  version,  "In  hym  ye  ben  fylled." 
What  need  of  consulting  pagan  philosophy  if 
"all  the  treasures  of  wisdom  and  knowledge" 
are  offered  in  Christ?  Or  why  go  back  to  "the 
rudiments"  of  Jewish  ceremonialism  if,  as 
Paul  says,  "ye  are  circumcised  in  Christ  by 
the  putting  off  of  sin"?     The  prophetic  pur- 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

pose  of  the  Levitical  law,  as  "a  shadow  of 
things  to  come,"  was  so  perfectly  fulfilled  in 
Christ  as  its  antitype  that  he  absolutely  "blot- 
ted out  this  handwriting  of  ordinances  (i.  e., 
the  Ceremonial  Law),  nailing  it  to  his  cross" 
and  so  "taking  it  out  of  the  way." 

(4)  Therefore,  says  Paul,  "let  no  man  be- 
guile you"  into  any  mode  of  thinking  or  be- 
lieving which  does  not  hold  to  Christ  as  "the 
Head,  from  which  all  the  body  is  knit  together, 
being  nourished  in  its  joints  and  bands,  and 
thus  increasing  with  the  increase  of  God."  In 
other  words,  Christ  for  the  Christian  is  Alpha 
and  Omega,  the  beginning  of  hope  and  the 
end  of  endeavor;  first,  last,  midst  and  all  in 
all. 

OUR  LIFE  IN  CHRIST 
Chapter  3 

"If  ye  be  risen  with  Christ" — a  mighty, 
comprehensive  "if"!  For  the  man  who  is  not 
risen  with  Christ  is  still  dead  in  trespasses  and 
sins,  inasmuch  as  he  is  still  "concluded"  under 
the  law  which  says  "The  soul  that  sinneth  it 
shall  die."  But  faith  in  Christ  links  us  so  vi- 
tally with  him  that  we  triumph  in  his  triumph 

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PAUL'S    LETTERS 

over  death  and  hell.  "Because  he  liveth  we 
shall  live  also!"  Or,  to  speak  again  with 
Wesley,  "We  two  are  so  joined,  he  can't  go 
to  heaven  and  leave  me  behind."  The  believ- 
er— always  assuming  that  his  faith  is  heart- 
wise — is  forever  safe,  because  his  "life  is  hid 
with  Christ  in  God" — hid  as  a  beleaguered 
garrison  in  an  impregnable  castle,  so  secure- 
ly that  the  blazing  gates  of  hell  shall  not  pre- 
vail against  him. 

But  the  mighty  "if"  is  followed  by  an 
equally  mighty  "therefore."  If  a  man  be 
truly  risen  with  Christ  it  must  follow,  as  the 
night  the  day,  that  his  walk  and  conversation 
will  show  it.  First,  by  a  ''putting  off"  of 
"the  old  man  with  his  deeds"  (verses  5-9). 
Second  J  by  a  "putting  on"  of  "the  new  man 
who  is  renewed  after  the  image  of  Christ" 
(verses  10-14).  Third,  by  the  indwelling  and 
supreme  control  of  the  Word  and  peace  of 
God  (verses  15,  16)  ;  and  fourth,  by  an  out- 
going of  this  indwelling  life  "in  word  and 
deed"   (verses  17-25). 

There  is  cold  comfort  for  a  melancholy 
Christian  in  this  presentment  of  the  case; 
since   even    our   "teaching   and   admonition" 

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PAUL'S    LETTERS 

must  be  with  the  joy  of  "singing  in  psalms 
and  hymns  and  spiritual  songs."  Alas,  then, 
for  those  who  "wear  long  faces,  just  as  if 
their  Maker,  the  Lord  of  glory,  were  an  un- 
dertaker!" To  look  dyspeptic  is  ill  becoming 
to  one  who  is  risen  with  Christ.  It  is  a  poor 
way  of  showing  that  his  religion  agrees  with 
him.  Wherefore  "whatsoever  we  do" — 
whether  it  be  to  carry  a  banner  or  a  burden — 
let  us  "do  all  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus, 
giving  thanks  to  God  and  the  Father  by 
him." 

The  remainder  of  this  chapter  is  addressed 
to  husbands  and  wives,  parents  and  children, 
masters  and  servants,  with  reference  to  the 
supreme  duty  of  serving  "not  with  eyeservice, 
as  men-pleasers,  but  in  singleness  of  heart, 
fearing  God." 

SALUTATIONS 
Chapter  4 

Nothing  remains  but  to  salute  the  brethren 
in  the  fellowship  of  this  mystery. 

(1)  Tell  them  to  "continue  in  prayer,"  not 
forgetting  to  "pray  for  me  that  I  may  speak 

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PAUL'S    LETTERS 

the  mystery  of  Christ  and  manifest  it  as  I 
ought  to." 

(2)  Tell  them  "to  walk  in  wisdom  toward 
them  that  are  without"  (i.  e.,  the  "friendly 
citizens"),  seasoning  their  speech  with  salt, 
that  they  "may  know  how  to  answer  every 
man." 

(3)  Say  to  Archippus,  who  brings  you  this 
letter,  "Take  heed  to  the  ministry  which  thou 
hast  received  of  the  Lord,  that  thou  fulfil 
it." 

(4)  Tychicus  ("a  beloved  brother"),  Ones- 
imus  (the  runaway  slave,  "who  is  one  of 
you"),  Aristarchus  ("my  fellow  prisoner"), 
Marcus  (the  same  John  Mark  who  once  for- 
sook us,  Acts  13:13),  Epaphras  (your  own 
"faithful  minister,"  now  visiting  me),  Luke 
("the  beloved  physician"),  Demas  (not  al- 
ways reliable,  2  Tim.  4:10) — all  these  salute 
you. 

(5)  Salute  not  only  the  brethren  in  Co- 
losse,  but  those  in  the  neighboring  town  of 
Laodicea;  and  "cause  that  this  letter  be  read 
likewise  to  them."  To  them?  "How  far  yon 
little  candle  throws  its  beams!"     The  round- 

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PAUL'S    LETTERS 

robin  has  crossed  the  Seven  Seas  and  all  the 
intervening  centuries  even  down  to  us  I 

(6)  *'The  salutation  by  the  hand  of  me 
Paul."  It  is  thus  intimated  that,  while  the 
doctrinal  parts  of  this  Epistle  were  dictated 
to  an  amanuensis,  the  greetings  were  in  the 
handwriting  of  Paul  himself:  as  if  to  illus- 
trate the  saying,  "Now  abide  these  three, 
faith,  hope,  love;  but  the  greatest  of  these 
is  love."  In  all  the  world  there  is  no  tie 
like  "the  tie  that  binds  our  hearts  in  Chris- 
tian love." 

And  after  that,  nothing  remains  but  to  say, 
'*Grace  be  with  you?" 


9S 


VIII 

FIRST  THESSALONIANS 
THE  SECOND  COMING  OF  CHRIST 

The  date  of  this  letter  is  A.  D.  52.  It  is 
the  first  of  Paul's  letters  on  record,  having 
been  written  seventeen  years  after  his  con- 
version. No  doubt  he  had  written  others  pre- 
viously, but  this,  like  the  other  thirteen  which 
are  included  in  the  canon  of  the  Scriptures, 
was  composed  under  the  immediate  direction 
of  the  Spirit  of  God. 

It  was  written  at  Athens,  under  the  follow- 
ing circumstances:  When  Paul  set  out  from 
Antioch  with  Silas  on  his  second  missionary 
journey  he  crossed  the  Hellespont  into  Eu- 
rope, preached  at  Philippi,  where  he  was 
scourged  and  imprisoned;  passed  on  to  Thes- 
salonica,  where  after  three  successful  weeks 
he  was  driven  out  by  a  mob;  proceeded  to 
Berea,  where  further  opposition  awaited  him, 
and  had  now  reached  Athens,  where  he  was 
hoping  to  continue  in  peace.  In  order  to  as- 
sure himself  as  to  the  welfare  of  those  recent- 

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PAUL'S    LETTERS 

ly  converted  he  sent  Timothy  back  to  revisit 
them.  The  report  appears  to  have  been 
favorable  except  in  the  case  of  the  Thessalo- 
nians,  who  were  greatly  disturbed  by  certain 
misapprehensions  as  to  the  Second  Coming. 
They  expected  this  to  occur  in  the  immediate 
future:  indeed  they  were  looking  for  it  with 
the  dawn  of  every  day. 

In  this  connection,  they  were  fearful  lest 
their  deceased  friends  would  have  to  sleep  in 
their  graves  until  the  final  resurrection,  while 
they  themselves  at  his  coming  were  to  be 
caught  up  into  the  air  to  meet  him. 

It  was  to  correct  such  erroneous  views  that 
this  letter  was  Avritten.  The  necessity  was 
pressing,  because  many  of  these  recent  con- 
verts had,  in  the  enthusiasm  of  their  new 
hope,  given  up  all  attention  to  secular  af- 
fairs and  put  on  ascension  robes,  so  to  speak, 
in  anticipation  of  Christ's  appearance.  There 
was  a  hurry-call  for  action,  and  Paul,  under 
the  influence  of  the  Spirit,  was  impelled  to 
meet  it. 

A  word,  before  we  go  any  further,  as  to 
Thessalonica  and  its  people.  The  city,  for- 
merly called  Thermee,  had  been  restored  and 

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PAUL'S    LETTERS 

greatly  improved  by  Cassander,  a  general  in 
the  Macedonian  army,  after  winning  a  battle 
there,  300  B.  C,  and  had  been  renamed  in 
honor  of  his  wife,  a  sister  of  Alexander  the 
Great.  The  place  was  from  the  beginning 
a  famous  resort  for  Jews.  It  ultimately  be- 
came an  important  center  of  Christian  influ- 
ence, from  which  the  Gospel  "sounded  forth" 
like  a  clarion  to  all  the  surrounding  region. 
(Chap.  1:8.)  In  recent  times  Salonica  has 
been  the  seat  of  important  events  in  the 
World  War.  It  has  a  population  of  about 
100,000,  one-third  of  whom  are  Jews. 

OUTLINE 

The  skill  of  Paul  as  a  dialectician  will  be 
observed  in  his  method  of  gradual  approach. 
He  does  not  plunge  at  once  into  the  business 
in  hand — that  is,  the  correction  of  mistakes  as 
to  the  Second  Coming — but,  like  an  experi- 
enced barrister,  or  diplomatist,  he  advances 
other  considerations,  not  unimportant  in 
themselves,  to  prepare  the  way. 

He  begins  with  the  salutation  "Grace  be 
unto  you."  This  is  the  sign-manual  of  all 
Paul's  letters.    By  "grace"  he  means  the  un- 

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PAUL'S    LETTERS 

merited  favor  of  God  in  the  gift  of  his  only- 
begotten  Son. 

"Grace,  'tis  a  charming  sound. 
Harmonious  to  the  ear; 
Heaven  with  the  echo  shall  resound. 
And  all  the  earth  shall  hear." 

Our  salvation  is  not  of  merit  but  of  grace. 
The  word  is  cognate  with  gratis,  God  is  not 
a  merchant,  that  he  should  sell  heaven  for  a 
quid  pro  quo;  and,  if  he  were,  what  coin 
have  we  that  could  pass  current  between  us? 
Good  works?  What  are  they  to  him?  He 
is  no  merchant  bartering  with  bankrupt  men, 
but  a  King,  the  very  King  of  kings,  with  a 
heart  as  generous  as  his  inexhaustible  excheq- 
uer, loving  to  give  and  giving  right  royally. 
*'Ho,  every  one  that  thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the 
waters;  yea,  come;  buy  wine  and  milk  with- 
out money  and  without  price!" 

But  alas,  our  natural  pride  revolts!  We 
would  fain  be  saved  but  not  for  nothing.  Let 
us  earn  heaven  by  "deeds  of  the  law,"  by 
penance  and  ceremonial  observance  and  long 
pilgrimages,  anything  rather  than  "without 
money  and  without  price."  Yet  on  this  point 
the  Gospel  is  clear:  we  must  be  justified  by 

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PAUL'S    LETTERS 

faith  alone,  which  is  simply  a  heartfelt   ac- 
ceptance of  the  unspeakable  gift. 

As  we  proceed  with  Paul's  letters  we  shall 
find  this  thought  of  salvation  by  grace  per- 
vading every  one  of  them.  "By  the  deeds  of 
the  law  shall  no  flesh  be  justified."  "For 
what  the  law  could  not  do,  in  that  it  was  weak 
through  the  flesh  (i.  e.,  our  sinful  flesh), 
God,  sending  his  own  Son  in  the  likeness  of 
sinful  flesh  and  for  sin,  condemned  sin  in 
the  flesh,  that  the  righteousness  of  the  law 
might  be  fulfilled  in  us  who  walk  not  after 
the  flesh  but  after  the  Spirit."  Wherefore 
salvation  is  free,  its  only  condition  being  faith 
in  Christ  as  our  Saviour.  It  cannot  be  earned 
by  anything  we  can  do.  "This  is  the  work 
of  God  (i.  e.,  the  only  work  that  can  make  us 
acceptable  in  his  sight) ,  that  ye  believe  on  him 
whom  God  hath  sent."  That  is  to  say,  we 
must  be  willing  to  be  saved  gratis  or  not  at 
all. 

THANKSGIVING 

Chapter  1 

(1)  Paul  is  grateful  to  God  for  their  elec- 
tion and  conversion,  and  for  their  "work  of 
faith  and  labor  of  love  and  patience  of  hope." 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

The  Gospel  which  Paul  had  preached  to  them 
had  come  *'not  only  in  word  but  in  power, 
in  the  Holy  Ghost  and  in  much  assurance." 
Of  this  they  had  given  proof  by  "turning 
from  idols  to  serve  the  living  and  true  God." 

(2)  Nor  was  this  all;  not  content  with  the 
assurance  of  their  own  salvation,  they  had 
"sounded  abroad"  the  Gospel  in  all  the  sur- 
rounding country;  and  that  despite  "much 
affliction"  or  opposition  and  persecution  on 
the  part  of  Jews  and  others  who  differed  with 
them. 

By  the  time  the  members  of  the  Thessalo- 
nian  Church  had  Hstened  to  the  reading  of  the 
letter  thus  far  they  would  probably  have  con- 
ceived a  rather  more  than  fair  opinion  of 
themselves:  but  as  it  proceeds  they  would  be 
likely  to  discover  plenty  of  room  for  improve- 
ment. Paul  is  no  novice  in  the  art  of  per- 
suasion. Was  he  not  a  disciple  of  Gamaliel, 
that  famous  advocate  who  was  called  "the 
Flower  of  the  Law"? 

REMEMBRANCE 
Chapter  2 

(1)  He  reminds  them  of  his  pastoral  care; 
how  he  had  gone  in  and  out   among  them 

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PAUL'S    LETTERS 

night  and  day,  "gently  as  a  nurse,"  "charg- 
ing and  exhorting  and  comforting  as  a  father 
doth  his  children";  and  how,  meanwhile,  he 
had  worked  at  his  trade  as  a  tentmaker  so 
"that  he  might  not  be  chargeable  unto  them." 
A  good  pastor,  this  man. 

(2)  He  reminds  them  also  of  his  preach- 
ing: how  he  had  declared  the  truth  as  God 
had  given  him  to  see  it,  without  fear  or  favor, 
"not  of  guile  nor  with  flattering  words,  not 
as  pleasing  men  but  God."  What  better  test 
of  faithful  preaching  could  there  be? 

(3)  Moreover  he  reminds  them  to  their 
credit  how  joyously  they  had  received  his 
message,  "not  as  the  word  of  men  but,  as  it 
is  in  truth,  the  Word  of  God." 

(4)  And,  better  still,  he  reminds  them  how 
they  had  translated  this  hearing  of  the  Gospel 
into  the  terms  of  common  life;  "suffering 
of  their  own  countrymen"  without  resent- 
ment, and  seeking  to  follow  Christ  and  ex- 
emplify the  truth  as  he  taught  it. 

(5)  For  all  this  Paul  congratulates  both 
himself  and  them,  saying,  "Ye  are  our  glory 
and  joy." 

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PAUL'S    LETTERS 

PASTORAL  CONCERN 
Chapter  3 

He  explains  why  he  had  sent  Timothy  to 
visit  them. 

(1)  To  begin  with,  his  young  friend  was 
instructed  to  comfort  them  in  their  afflictions. 
It  would  appear  that  the  Jews  in  Thessalo- 
nica  were  giving  these  Christians  no  peace. 
*'We  told  you  before,"  says  Paul,  "that  ye 
should  suffer  tribulation,  even  as  it  has  come 
to  pass";  "but  now  we  live,  if  ye  stand  fast 
in  the  Lord."  To  stand  fast,  and  "having 
done  all  to  stand" — with  what  a  martial 
sound  that  message  rings,  over  and  over 
again,  from  the  brave  lips  of  this  veteran  of 
the  Holy  War! 

(2)  His  other  purpose  in  sending  Timo- 
thy, he  says,  was  "to  establish  them  concern- 
ing their  faith."  It  is  a  great  thing  to  be  es- 
tablished in  faith,  to  be  able  to  lay  one's 
hand  on  certain  fundamentals  and  say, 
"These  things  I  know!"  There  is  no  room 
for  an  if  or  a  peradventure  in  the  teaching 
of  Christ.  Put  an  if  under  the  manger,  the 
cross  or  the  open  sepulchre,  and  it  will  prove 

101 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

as  disastrous  as  a  charge  of  dynamite.  The 
only  escape  from  the  distress  of  doubt  and 
uncertainty  is  in  turning'  a  deaf  ear  to  the 
caviller,  taking  Christ  at  his  word  and  rest- 
ing in  him. 

SANCTIFICATION 
Chapter  4 

"This  is  the  will  of  God,  even  your  sancti- 
fication." 

(1)  Personal  purity.  The  besetting  sin  of 
the  Thessalonians  was  sensuality.  In  accord- 
ance with  Paul's  custom  he  calls  a  spade  a 
spade,  dealing  with  marital  infidelity  and  so- 
cial promiscuity  in  unmeasured  terms.  Here 
is  another  of  those  portions  of  Scripture  which 
was  not  intended  to  be  read  aloud  in  public 
assemblies  or  even  at  the  family  altar,  but  in 
the  secret  place,  where  all  alone  a  man  faces 
the  searching  eyes  of  God. 

(2)  Brotherly  love.  Not  even  in  dealing 
with  the  most  scandalous  offenders  against 
the  law  of  personal  purity  must  the  Church 
forget  the  requirements  of  Christian  charity: 
"for  ye  are  taught  to  love  one  another:  but 
we  beseech  you,  brethren,  that  ye  increase 
more  and  more." 

102 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

(3)  Attention  to  business.  The  apostle  is 
now  approaching  his  main  object,  which  is 
to  persuade  these  Christians  to  take  a  sober 
and  sensible  view  of  religion,  particularly 
with  reference  to  the  Second  Coming  of 
Christ.  "Study  to  be  quiet,"  he  says;  for 
they  were  so  enthusiastically  overwrought  by 
their  consuming  interest  in  the  Parousia  that 
they  were  in  danger  of  overlooking  other  im- 
portant matters.  It  is  well  to  be  zealously 
affected  in  a  good  cause;  but  the  zeal  of 
these  church  members  of  Thessalonica  had  over- 
ripened  into  a  veritable  fanaticism  which  led 
them  into  a  disregard  of  the  common  duties 
of  life.  "Do  your  own  business,"  says  Paul; 
"work  with  your  own  hands,  walk  honestly 
toward  them  that  are  without."  It  is  time 
to  call  a  halt  when  a  man's  interpretation  of 
any  Christian  doctrine  sets  him  at  odds  with 
the  welfare  of  the  workaday  world  about  him. 

(4)  Freedom  from  anxiety.  In  thinking  of 
the  Resurrection  of  the  Dead  in  relation  to 
the  Second  Coming  of  Christ  these  Christians 
of  Thessalonica  had  somehow  arrived  at  the 
conclusion  that  while  they  were  to  be  "caught 
up  into  the  air  to  meet  him,"  their  dead  were 

103 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

to  sleep  for  an  indefinite  period;  which  in- 
volved a  frightful  separation!  But  Paul  as- 
sures them  that  nothing  of  the  sort  awaited 
them.  Their  loved  ones  who  had  fallen  asleep 
in  Christ  were  "first  to  rise"  and  then  those 
who  remained  were  to  be  "caught  up  together 
with  them,"  so  that  all  would  be  "together 
with  the  Lord."  Blessed  reunion!  Happy 
day! 

AS  TO  THE  TIMES  AND  SEASONS 
Chapter  5 

(1)  The  Lord  himself  had  said  with  ref- 
erence to  his  coming  again,  "It  is  not  for 
you  to  know  the  times  or  the  seasons,  which 
the  Father  hath  put  in  his  own  power."  (Acts 
1:7.)  This  should  be  sufficient  for  all  who 
are  inclined  to  a  close  mathematical  interpre- 
tation of  the  prophecies  bearing  upon  this 
event. 

(2)  But  "ye  yourselves  know  that  the  day 
of  the  Lord  so  cometh  as  a  thief  in  the 
night";  that  is,  unexpectedly.  When  men 
are  looking  for  it  is  the  very  time  when  it 
is  unlikely  to  come  to  pass. 

(3)  Wherefore,  to  be  watchful  is  the  im- 
portant  matter.     "Let   us   not   sleep   as   do 

104- 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

others,  but  let  us  watch  and  be  sober." 
Watch!  Watch!  Watch  and  pray!  ^'Blessed 
are  all  they  that  love  his  appearing!" 

"I  know  not  when — I  only  know  the  fact 
That  he  is  coming,  and  he  bids  me  wait 
In  joyful  expectation  day  by  day. 
Uncertainty  does  not  one  whit  detract 
From  me  the  joy  of  watching  at  the  gate; 
It  rather  adds  delight  and  buoyancy 
To  my  fair  hope — 
That  any  night,  or  any  day, 
I  quickly  may  be  called  away 
To  meet  the  Lord. 
"But  though  I  do  not  know  the  how  or  when, 
I  know  my  Lord,  and  'tis  for  him  I  wait. 
Long  years  the  blessed  hope  of  seeing  him 
Has  been  my  joy.    And  though  beyond  my  ken 
The  day  and  hour  of  the  opening  gate. 
And  many  happenings  to  my  mind  are  dim. 
Yet  this  I  know — 
That  any  night,  or  any  day, 
I  gently  may  be  caught  away 
To  meet  the  Lord." 

All  Christians  are  "millenarians" ;  but 
whether  "pre"  or  "post"  involves  a  futile  and 
unseemly  controversy.  Let  it  suffice  that 
Christ  is  coming,  and  that  we  watch  and 
prayerfully  wait  for  him;  not  as  those  who 
look  out  of  the  windows  toward  the  east,  but 
rather  as   servants  with   sickle  in  hand   and 

105 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

sleeves  rolled  back  addressing  ourselves  to 
the  harvesting  of  the  fields  of  God. 

He  is  coming,  coming  "even  as  he  went 
into  heaven,"  coming  in  the  clouds  of  heaven 
and  all  the  holy  angels  with  him!  Though 
the  prophecies  bearing  upon  this  supreme 
event,  like  all  other  prophecies,  involve  not 
only  a  revelation  but  an  adumbration  (that 
is,  a  purposed  dimness  as  to  particulars,  leav- 
ing room  for  the  exercise  of  faith),  neverthe- 
less the  fact  itself  is  unveiled  in  clearest  light. 
All  such  prophecies  in  their  lack  of  perspec- 
tive are  like  Japanese  pictures:  you  will 
search  them  in  vain  for  the  foreshortening  of 
details  but  always  in  the  background  behold 
Fujiyama,  snow-crowned  Fujiyama!  So  rings 
the  word  JNIaranatha  through  all  the  vague 
prophecies  of  Scripture.  Maranatha!  "The 
Lord  Cometh!"  This  is  that  "one  supreme 
event  to  which  the  whole  creation  moves." 

Amen:  even  so  come,  Lord  Jesus!  Roll 
swifter  round,  ye  wheels  of  time,  and  bring 
the  welcome  day! 


106 


IX 

SECOND  THESSALONIANS 

THE  SECOND  COMING  (Continued) 

Time.     A.  D.  52;  Shortly  after  the  former  letter. 
Place.     Written  from  Athens. 

Not  long  after  the  First  Epistle  had  been 
despatched  to  Thessalonica  it  came  to  Paul's 
knowledge  that  a  spurious  letter,  purporting 
to  have  been  written  by  him  (chap.  2:2)  had 
enkindled  a  more  passionate  hope  than  ever 
among  the  Christians  there  for  the  immediate 
coming  of  Christ.  He  now  writes  briefly  and 
in  haste  to  disavow  the  erroneous  views  which, 
in  that  forged  letter,  had  been  attributed  to 
him. 

CONGRATULATIONS 
Chapter  1 

He  begins  with  his  customary  greeting 
"Grace  unto  you,"  and  proceeds  at  once  to 
assure  them  of  his  thankfulness  for  their 
growth    in   three    Christian    graces. 

107 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

First:  "Because  your  faith  groweth  exceed- 
ingly." A  little  faith  if  it  "groweth"  is  better 
than  a  larger  faith  that  simply  holds  its  own. 
Here  is  the  deeper  significance  of  the  mus- 
tard seed,  not  that  it  is  "indeed  the  least  of 
all  seeds,"  but  that  it  "groweth  into  a  tree, 
so  that  the  fowls  of  the  air  come  and  lodge 
in  the  branches  of  it."  The  church  members 
of  Thessalonica  were  entitled  to  the  greater 
credit  because  their  faith  grew  in  spite  of 
the  fact  that  false  teachers  had  insidiously 
crept  in  among  them.  It  is  by  the  upward 
look  and  a  purposeful  resistance  to  error  that 
we  become  great  believers.  We  are  in  no  dan- 
ger of  drifting  from  our  moorings  so  long  as 
we  have  an  anchor  to  windward,  "an  anchor 
sure  and  steadfast  and  taking  hold  of  that 
which  is  within  the  veil." 

Second:  "Your  love  aboundeth  toward  each 
other."  No  doubt  there  were  differences  of 
opinion  among  these  people,  but  they  knew 
how  to  differ  and  keep  sweet.  There  were 
grounds  for  mutual  criticism,  but  they  had 
learned  that  "charity  suffereth  long  and  is 
kind."  They  were  not  intent  on  pulling  motes 
out  of  each  other's  eyes  with  hot  pincers,  but 

108 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

rather  with  that  delicate  touch  of  sympathy 
which  transforms  fault-finding  into  a  heaven- 
ly grace  and  makes  a  whole  Gospel  of  the 
proverb,  *Taithful  are  the  wounds  of  a 
friend." 

Third:  "Ye  are  patient  in  persecution  and 
tribulation,"  which,  says  Paul,  are  permitted 
"that  ye  may  be  counted  worthy  of  the  King- 
dom of  God."  If  we  must  needs  suffer,  it 
is  comforting  to  know  that  our  sufferings  are 
a  part  of  the  Father's  gracious  plan  to  fit 
us  for  glory  further  on.  A  woodchopper  does 
not  complain  of  the  knots  which  he  encoun- 
ters, but  wisely  and  consistently  regards  them 
as  **all  in  the  day's  work."  So  must  we:  be- 
cause we  know  that  our  adversity,  whatever 
it  may  be,  is  included  in  the  "all  things" 
that  "work  together  for  good  to  them  that 
love  God." 

So  much  for  Paul's  congratulations.  He 
follows  them  with  an  earnest  prayer  for  three 
things:  first,  "that  our  God  would  count  you 
worthy  of  this  calling" ;  second,  that  he  would 
"fulfil  all  the  good  pleasure  of  his  goodness" 
(what  a  complexity  of  divine  love  is  em- 
braced in  those  words!) ;  and  third,  that  he 

109 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

would  fulfil  "the  work  of  faith  with  power." 
Three  great  petitions;  and,  for  ourselves, 
amen  to  them! 

CORRECTION 

Chapter  2 

Here  is  where  the  forged  letter  comes  in: 
"We  beseech  you,  brethren,  that  ye  be  not 
soon  shaken  in  mind  or  be  troubled,  neither 
by  spirit  nor  by  word  nor  by  letter  as  from 
usr 

"Shaken"  from  what?  From  the  truth 
with  respect  to  the  Parousia,  as  Paul  had 
previously  declared  it. 

"Troubled"  about  what?  About  the  happy 
reunion  with  the  scattered  members  of  the 
family  when  Christ  should  come  again  to 
claim  his  own. 

One  sign  is  given  as  a  safeguard  against 
any  possible  misapprehension  with  respect  to 
the  great  event,  namely,  "That  day  shall  not 
come  except  there  come  a  falling  away  first 
and  that  man  of  sin  be  revealed." 

(1)  As  to  the  "falling  away,"  no  explana- 
tion is  needed.  It  is  always  going  on,  due 
to  false  teaching  in  the  very  air.     The  propa- 

110 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

ganda  is  carried  on  "by  spirit  and  by  word 
and  by  letter  as  from  us."  Books  and  news- 
papers are  full  of  it,  and  there  is  no  lack 
of  pulpits  to  spread  it.  And  alas,  to  those 
who  lend  a  willing  ear,  "God  sendeth  strong 
delusion,  that  they  should  believe  a  lie!"  Our 
only  safety  lies  in  steadfastness;  that  is,  in 
steering  by  the  Word  of  God.  No  man  can 
take  fire  into  his  bosom  without  being  burned 
by  it. 

(2)  But  what  of  "that  man  of  sin"!  This 
"mystery  of  iniquity  doth  already  work,"  and 
he  shall  be  "revealed  in  his  time."  There  are 
certain  marks,  however,  by  which  he  may  be 
recognized.  To  begin  with,  "he  sitteth  in  the 
Temple  of  God."  Moreover  "he  showeth 
himself  that  he  is  God";  by  which  we  under- 
stand that  he  assumes  divine  authority  by 
making  himself  the  Court  of  Final  Appeal  in 
all  problems  of  the  spiritual  life.  Still  fur- 
ther, "his  coming  is  after  the  working  of  Sa- 
tan, with  all  power  and  signs  and  lying  won- 
ders." By  putting  these  marks  together  we 
have  the  very  portrait  of  Antichrist  as 
painted  elsewhere  by  the  Apostle  John: 
"Who  is  a  liar  but  he  that  denieth  that  Jesus 

111 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

is  the  Christ?  He  is  Antichrist  that  denieth 
the  Father  and  the  Son."  (See  1  John  2:18- 
22,  also  2  John  7.) 

It  thus  appears  that  any  denial  of  the  co- 
equality  of  Jesus  with  the  Father  or  any  as- 
sumption of  authority  which  conflicts  with 
his  as  set  forth  in  the  Scriptures  is  a  direct 
emanation  from  the  "mystery  of  iniquity" 
and,  therefore,  to  be  scrupulously  repelled  by 
all  who  would  not  be  "given  over  to  believe 
a   lie." 

"Therefore,  brethren,  stand  fast  and  hold 
the  traditions  which  ye  have  been  taught." 
Traditions,  forsooth!  Are  we  not  warned 
against  "traditional  religion"  here  and  there 
and  everywhere!  But  what  is  meant  by  "tra- 
dition" except  that  which  is  handed  down; 
that  is,  from  those  who  have  gone  before  us? 
To  be  sure,  it  is  a  preposterous  thing  to 
accept  any  doctrine  for  the  sole  reason  that 
our  fathers  believed  it;  but  it  is  folly  un- 
speakable to  reject  "the  old-time  religion" 
merely  because  of  past  approval.  The  best 
things  in  the  world  are  old.  Old  air,  old 
sunshine,  old  spring-water — who  can  improve 
upon    them?      In    everything    except    "new 

11^ 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

thought"  (God  save  the  mark!)  the  pre- 
sumption is  always  in  favor  of  experience. 
"Ring  out  the  old,  ring  in  the  new"?  Surely, 
if  only  we  "ring  out  the  false,  ring  in  the 
true!" 

The  Germans  have  a  proverb:  "Take  heed 
lest  you  throw  out  the  baby  with  the  bath- 
water." Many  an  adventurous  captain  has 
courted  defeat  by  cutting  off  his  army  from 
its  source  of  supplies.  We  are  safe  so  long 
as  we  rest  our  ultimate  faith  in  the  binomial 
revelation,  namely,  the  Incarnate  and  written 
Word  of  God.  The  moment  a  Christian 
abandons  these,  allured  by  the  man  of  sin 
in  any  guise  whatsoever,  he  is  like  a  planet 
sweeping  out  of  its  orbit  and  lost  in  infinite 
space.  Wherefore  it  behooves  us  to  earnestly 
contend  for  the  faith  delivered  to  the  saints 
once  for  all. 

This  chapter  of  the  Epistle,  so  full  of  por- 
tentous warning  and  exhortation,  closes  with 
an  assurance  of  Paul's  confidence  in  the 
steadfastness  of  his  Thessalonian  friends: 
"We  are  bound  to  give  thanks,  brethren  be- 
loved, because  God  hath  chosen  you."  Chosen 
them  to  what?    Four  great  things:    "Salva- 

113 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

tion,  Sanctification,  Belief  of  the  Truth  and 
the  Obtaining"  of  Glory."  What  more  could 
be  desired?  INIuch  more,  as  the  following 
chapter  will  disclose  to  us. 

MUTUAL  PRAYER 

Chapter  3 

There  is  something  pathetic  in  this  "Breth- 
ren, pray  for  us."  Why  should  these  Thes- 
salonians  be  praying  for  Paul  in  Athens? 
Ah,  there  was  a  tie  between  them  stronger 
than  the  strongest  tie  of  consanguinity!  He 
was  not  only  a  fellow-Christian  but  a  former 
pastor  of  these  people,  and,  with  the  burden 
of  all  the  churches  upon  him,  he  needed  their 
sympathy  and  co-operation,  even  as  Moses 
needed  the  upholding  of  his  hands  by  Aaron 
and  Hur  in  the  valley  of  Rephidim.  And  he 
does  not  hesitate  to  mention  the  special 
prayers  that  they  were  desired  to  offer  for 
him. 

First,  that  the  Word  which  he  preached 
might  "have  free  course  and  be  glorified"; 
in  other  words,  that  his  sermons  might  not 
be  like  water  poured  upon  the  ground,  which 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

cannot  be  gathered  up  again,  but  rather  like 
good  seed  sown  in  good  ground  and  bearing 
fruit  abundantly  in  the  salvation  of  souls  to 
the  glory  of  God. 

Second,  that  he  might  be  "delivered  from 
unreasonable  and  wicked  men"  who  were 
"without  faith."  By  this  we  are  given  to 
understand  that  Paul  knew  himself  to  be  a 
man  of  like  infirmities  with  other  men  and 
that  he  was  afraid  of  being  allured  from 
truth  and  righteousness  by  the  wiles  of 
wicked  men.  We  all  stand  on  slippery 
places.  "Let  him  that  thinketh  he  standeth 
take  heed  lest  he  fall." 

But  Paul  asks  for  nothing  without  an 
adequate  return;  he  assures  these  friends 
that  while  they  are  praying  for  him  he  will 
also  be  praying  for  them;  jirst,  that  their 
hearts  may  be  directed  "into  the  love  of 
God";  and  second,  into  the  "patient  waiting 
for  Christ";  and  he  affirms  his  "confidence" 
in  the  result  of  this  mutual  intercession. 
Verily,  "more  things  are  wrought  by  prayer 
than  this  world  dreams  of!" 

The  rest  of  the  Epistle  is  given  to  such 
practical    exhortations    as    would    naturally 

115 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

occur  to  a  wise  shepherd  in  caring  for  his 
flock.  For  one  thing,  they  are  urged  to 
"withdraw  themselves"  from  those  who  have 
been  making  trouble;  and  for  another,  to 
admonish  these  mischief-makers  not  unkindly 
but  "as  brethren."  Still  further  they  are 
enjoined  to  give  up  watching  the  skies  for 
the  Lord's  return  and  attend  to  business; 
"for  we  hear  that  there  are  some  which  walk 
among  you  disorderly,  working  not  at  all." 

The  purpose  of  the  Apostle,  namely,  to 
repair  the  damage  wrought  by  the  forged 
letter,  is  now  accomplished  and  nothing 
remains  but  to  pronounce  his  usual  benedic- 
tion, "The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
be  with  you  all." 

It  is  easy  to  imagine  how  this  letter  was 
received  at  Thessalonica,  with  what  search- 
ings  of  heart  and  reconsecration  to  duty  and 
vows  of  "patient  waiting  for  Christ." 

It  is  related  that  on  the  morning  of  the 
historic  "Dark  Day"  a  member  of  the  Legis- 
lature of  Connecticut,  then  in  session,  moved 
to  adjourn  in  view  of  the  fact  that  the  world 
was  probably  coming  to  an  end,  whereupon 
the  presiding  officer  ordered  the  candles  to  be 

115 


PAUL'S    LETTERS 

lit  and  business  continued,  saying  t  "If  this 
really  betokens  the  coming  of  Christ,  he 
could  not  find  us  better  employed  than  at  our 
usual  tasks."  Good  advice  for  us  and  for  all 
who  love  his  appearing. 


117 


FIRST  TIMOTHY 


THE  YOUNG  MINISTER 


In  the  year  53  Paul  was  stoned  at  Lystra. 
(Acts  14.:6-20.)  His  ministry  there,  how- 
ever, was  not  fruitless.  His  bleeding  and 
miserable  body  was  cared  for  by  a  Jewess 
named  Eunice,  and  her  son  Timothy,  who 
was  destined  to  play  a  conspicuous  part  in  the 
subsequent  history  of  the  Church.  An  ex- 
traordinary friendship  sprang  up  between  the 
Apostle  and  this  "gentle  boy  of  Lystra," 
whom  he  called  his  "own  son  in  the  faith." 

In  the  year  65,  i.e.,  twelve  years  after,  this 
young  man  was  settled  as  minister  of  the  im- 
portant church  at  Ephesus.  It  was  a  difficult 
field.  The  Christians  there — "a  feeble  folk 
like  the  conies" — were  overshadowed  by  the 
pomp  and  circumstance  of  * 'great  Diana," 
whose  temple  was  accounted  one  of  the  seven 
wonders  of  the  world.  But,  worse  than  that, 
they  were  divided  among  themselves,  owing 

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to  the  influence  of  certain  false  teachers  who 
had  "crept  in  among  them." 

In  the  years  that  intervened  between 
Timothy's  conversion  and  the  writing  of  this 
letter,  many  things  happened.  Paul  had 
passed  through  all  sorts  of  vicissitudes, 
including  a  weary  imprisonment  at  Csesarea, 
and  subsequently  in  the  Praetorian  camp  at 
Rome. 

At  the  time  of  this  writing  he  had  left 
Rome,  after  an  acquittal  or  release  of  some 
sort,  and,  despite  his  age  and  oft  infirmities, 
had  apparently  set  out  upon  another  mis- 
sionary tour  in  the  hope  of  even  reaching 
Spain.  It  was  somewhere  on  this  journey — 
a  journey  which  was  presently  to  come  to  a 
tragic  end — that  Paul,  with  a  heart  longing 
for  home  and  fellowship,  sat  down  to  write 
this  letter  to  his  young  successor  in  the  pas- 
torate of  the  Ephesian  church, 

A  PASTORAL  CHARGE 

AS  TO  PREACHING 

Chapter  1 

It  would  appear  that  certain  ones  in 
Ephesus  were  trying  to  persuade  the  young 

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PAUL'S    LETTERS 

minister  to  turn  aside  from  the  Gospel  unto 
"fables  and  endless  genealogies,  which,"  says 
Paul,  "minister  questions  rather  than  godly 
edifying."  Fables,  speculations,  religion  by 
inheritance,  "science  falsely  so  called,"  philos- 
ophy, politics  —  these  beckoned  to  Timothy 
no  more  alluringly  than  they  do  to  the  young 
minister  in  our  time:  wherefore,  this  Pastoral 
Charge  of  the  great  Apostle  is  quite  abreast 
of  the  age. 

The  point  of  his  charge  is.  Preach  the 
Word.  He  would  have  Timothy  hew  to  the 
line  and  not  be  "swerved  aside" — aside  from 
what?  From  the  Word,  which,  as  he  says, 
consists  in  brief  of  a  presentation  of  the  jus- 
tice and  love  of  God. 

(1)  God's  justice  is  set  forth  in  his  Law 
(verses  8-10).  But  inasmuch  as  by  the  Law 
all  alike  are  "concluded  under  sin,"  the 
preacher  must  move  his  pulpit  over  from  Si- 
nai to  Calvary;  as  it  is  written,  "The  Law  is 
our  schoolmaster  to  lead   us   to   Christ." 

(2)  God's  love  is  set  forth  in  the  sacrifice 
of  Christ.  "The  end  of  the  commandment  is 
love"  (verse  5) .  Was  ever  love  like  that  of  the 
spotless   Son  of  God,  who  gave  himself  for 

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PAUL'S    LETTERS 

US?  To  exalt  that  sacrifice  is  the  prime  busi- 
ness of  every  minister;  as  Jesus  said,  "I,  if  I 
be  lifted  up,  will  draw  all  men  unto  me." 
What  other  magnet  do  we  need?  Why  turn 
aside  to  adventitious  attractions  when  Christ 
so  clearly  promises  to  do  the  "drawing"  for 
us? 

The  pith  of  the  whole  matter  is  in  the 
"faithful  saying"  which  the  Pastor  Emeritus 
of  the  Ephesian  Church  here  prescribes  to  his 
young  successor  as  the  subject  matter  of  all 
worth-while  sermons,  namely,  "that  Christ 
Jesus  came  into  the  world  to  save  sinners." 

AS  TO  PUBLIC  WORSHIP 

Chapter  2 

One  of  the  most  important  parts  of  the 
service  of  the  sanctuary  is  the;  minister's 
prayer.  It  is,  indeed,  not  his  prayer,  but  that 
of  the  whole  congregation  speaking  through 
him.  It  behooves  him  therefore  to  keep  a 
guard  upon  his  lips;  and  it  behooves  the  peo- 
ple to  follow  him  with  one  accord  as  he  "lifts 
up  holy  hands  unto  God." 

In  this  official  prayer  mention  is  to  be  made 
of  "kings  and  all  in  authority,  that  we  may 

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PAUL'S    LETTERS 

lead  a  quiet  and  peaceable  life  in  all  godli- 
ness and  honesty."  But  suppose  some  Nero 
is  on  the  throne?  All  the  more  reason  for 
us  to  be  praying  that  he  may  turn  from  his 
wicked  ways. 

We  observe  here  an  important  injunction 
as  to  the  behavior  of  the  Ephesian  women  at 
these  public  services.  They  were  to  present 
themselves  "in  modest'  apparel,"  and  while 
the  services  were  going  on  they  were  enjoined 
to  keep  silence,  deferring  to  the  male  mem- 
bers of  the  church.  There  was  a  special 
reason  for  this  in  the  fact  that  the  unclean 
profession  of  the  priestesses  of  Diana  was 
advertised  by  their  gay  apparel  and  loud 
behavior.  In  like  circumstances  the  same 
counsel  must  needs  be  given  in  these  days. 

AS  TO  CHURCH  GOVERNMENT 
Chapter  3 

We  are  here  advised  with  respect  to  official 
positions  in  the  church:  of  which  two  are 
mentioned,  and  only  two,  namely,  bishops 
and  deacons.     (Phil.  1:1.) 

(1)  Bishops.  The  word  here  is  episcopos, 
meaning  overseer,  which  is  used  interchange- 

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ably  with  preshuteros,  or  elder.  (See  Acts 
20:17,  28,  etc.)  There  were  two  kinds  of 
elders,  viz.,  (a)  teaching  elders  or  preachers, 
and  (b)  ruling  elders,  whose  special  function 
was  to  govern  in  spiritual  affairs.  (1  Tim. 
5:17;  1  Pet.  5:1-4,  etc.)  The  qualifications 
for  the  bishopric  in  both  the  teaching  and 
ruling  class  are  here  given  in  detail  (verses 
1-7). 

(2)  Deacons.  The  business  of  the  deacons 
was,  in  general  terms,  to  look  after  the  tem- 
poral affairs  of  the  church  and,  more  par- 
ticularly, to  see  that  adequate  provision  was 
made  for  the  poor.  (Acts  6:1-6.)  The  qual- 
ifications for  the  diaconate  are  also  given  in 
detail    (verses    8-10). 

(3)  Their  Wives  (verse  11).  Here  is 
something  to  make  a  note  of.  It  is  safe  to  say 
that  nowadays,  even  in  the  choice  of  a  min- 
ister, too  little  attention  is  given  to  the  min- 
ister's right  hand  and  right  eye,  to  wit,  his 
wife.  And  when  it  comes  to  the  election  of 
ruling  elders  and  deacons,  few  questions  are 
asked  concerning  their  better  halves.  This, 
Paul  gives  us  to  understand,  was  not  so  in 

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PAUL'S    LETTERS 

the  early  church.     Query:  is  not  the  old  way 
the  better  way? 

This  chapter  ends  with  a  closing  hymn: 
Subject,  The  Mystery  of  Godliness, 

"Great  is  the  mystery  of  godliness: 
God  was  manifest  in  the  flesh  (John  1:14), 
Justified  in  the  Spirit  (Matt.  3:16), 
Seen  of  angels   (Luke  2:13,  etc.). 
Preached  unto  the  Gentiles  (Eph.  3:1-9), 
Believed  on  in  the  world  (Rom.  16:25-27), 
Received  up  into  glory"  (Acts  1:9). 

AS  TO  PERSONAL  CHARACTER 
Chapter  4 

The  young  minister  is  here  reminded  of 
the  importance  of  illustrating  his  preaching 
in  his  walk  and  conversation.  The  "seduc- 
ing spirits"  of  Ephesus  were  all  the  while 
beckoning  him  away  from  a  consistent  Chris- 
tian life.  "Take  heed  to  thyself,"  says  Paul; 
"Exercise  thyself  unto  godliness";  "Be  thou 
an  example  of  the  believers";  "Let  no  man 
despise  thy  youth."  The  "charges"  delivered 
at  the  installation  of  young  ministers  in  our 
time  are  practically  all  based  on  this  ancient 

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PAUL'S    LETTERS 

charge  of  Paul  to  Timothy:  and  they  echo 
this  wholesome  advice  as  to  the  translation 
of  doctrine  into  life. 

AS  TO  THE  CURE  OF  SOULS 
Chapter  5 

There  is  no  more  difficult  art  than  that  of 
fault-finding;  and  it  devolves  on  every  faith- 
ful minister  to  master  it.  For  discipline, 
though  practically  abandoned  in  our  time,  is 
as  necessary  as  ever  to  the  peace  and  order 
and  well-being  of  the  church.  Timothy  is 
here  advised:  first,  as  to  the  proper  method  of 
dealing  with  the  older  and  younger  men 
(verse  1)  ;  second,  with  the  older  and  younger 
women  (verse  2)  ;  third,  with  the  widows 
(4-16).  Here  the  problem  becomes  more 
complex:  for,  owing  to  social  conditions  in 
pagan  communities,  there  were  countless 
"grass  widows"  who,  as  dependents  and  of- 
tentimes lewd  outcasts,  were  only  too  glad  to 
take  advantage  of  the  "deacons'  fund"  even 
at  the  expense  of  a  spurious  confession  of 
faith.  This  will  explain  the  importance  of 
careful    discrimination    between    those    who 

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PAUL'S    LETTERS 

were  "widows  indeed"  and  those  who  were 
"wanton,  wandering  about  from  house  to 
house"  as  "tattlers"  and  "busybodies,  speak- 
ing things  which  they  ought  not."  Fourth j 
as  to  the  supervision  to  be  exercised  by  elders 
of  both  the  teaching  and  the  ruhng  class 
(verses  17-20). 

This  brochure  on  Discipline  ends  with  a 
solemn  injunction  as  to  impartiality.  In  the 
administration  of  order  in  church  affairs  the 
bishop,  i.e.,  minister,  is  to  be  no  respecter  of 
persons.  He  must  remember  that  all  alike 
are  imperfect,  the  difference  being  largely  in 
the  measure  of  prudent  concealment.  Some 
men  wear  their  hearts  on  their  sleeves,  so  that 
their  sins  go  trumpeting  before  them  to  judg- 
ment; while  others  are  not  found  out  until 
their  sins  unheralded  rise  up  to  condemn 
them. 

(At  this  point  a  brief  parenthesis  is  intro- 
duced with  reference  to  Timothy's  scrupu- 
losity in  refusing  to  take  wine  even  in  the 
form  of  a  medicine.  Paul  suggests  that  he 
would  do  well  to  let  the  physician  prescribe 
for  him.) 

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PAUL'S    LETTERS 

AS  TO  SERVICE  IN  GENERAL 
Chapter  6 

(1)  There  were  both  masters  and  servants 
in  the  Ephesian  church;  or,  as  we  would  say 
nowadays,  both  employers  and  employes. 
The  apostle  here  proposes  the  Christian  solu- 
tion— and  the  only  ultimate  solution — of  the 
problem  of  Capital  and  Labor,  namely,  a 
mutual  attitude  of  brotherhood,  or,  in  other 
words,  of  mutual  service.  "Live  and  let 
live"  is  but  a  paraphrase  of  the  Golden  Rule 
of  Christ.  As  he  came  "not  to  be  ministered 
unto,  but  to  minister,"  so  must  his  followers 
serve  one  another  in  a  spirit  of  fraternal 
love. 

(2)  This  shuts  out  the  desire  of  gain  as 
the  ruling  motive  of  service.  Not  money, 
but  the  love  of  money,  is  indeed  "a  root  of 
all  evil."  On  the  other  hand,  however,  "god- 
liness with  contentment  is  great  gain."  To 
serve  in  the  spirit  of  Christ  is  its  own  reward. 
No  doubt  Timothy  could  have  earned  a  bet- 
ter salary  than  he  was  getting  in  the  pas- 
torate of  the  Ephesian  church,  but  the  Lord's 
"penny   at   evening" — a   penny   bearing   the 

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PAUL'S    LETTERS 

image  of  the  King  with  the  superscription, 
"Well  done,  good  and  faithful  servant" — 
would  compensate  him  abundantly  for  all  the 
sacrifices  and  hardships  of  his  ministerial 
Hfe. 

(3)  Therefore,  "O  Timothy,  keep  that 
which  is  committed  to  thy  trust."  No  doubt 
there  were  times  when  the  young  minister 
was  tempted  to  wish  for  a  larger  parish  with 
a  better  salary,  but  his  foster  father  in  Christ 
urges  him  to  "abide  still  at  Ephesus,"  and 
be  loyal  to  the  solemn  trust  which  had  been 
reposed  in  him. 

And  then  this  most  impressive  and  exem- 
plary "Charge  to  the  Pastor"  closes  with  the 
best  of  benedictions  in  the  familiar  words, 
"Grace  be  with  thee.    Amen." 


128 


XI 


SECOND  TIMOTHY 
THE  APOSTLE'S  FAREWELL 

You  will  remember  that  Paul  wrote  his 
first  letter  to  Timothy  after  his  first  impris- 
onment at  Rome,  while  on  a  missionary  jour- 
ney. He  was  presently  rearrested  and 
brought  back.  He  was  now  (A.  D.  66)  in 
the  Mammertine  jail  awaiting  his  summons 
to  death.  These  were  the  circumstances 
under  which  this  second  letter  was  written  to 
his  "beloved  son." 

The  underground  jail  in  which  the  old  mis- 
sionary spent  his  closing  days  is  still  shown 
and  is  as  well  identified  as  any  of  the  antiq- 
uities of  the  Imperial  City.  A  door  has 
been  made  for  the  convenience  of  visitors,  but 
Paul  was  probably  let  down  through  the  cir- 
cular opening  which  still  remains  in  the  ceil- 
ing. It  is  a  noisome  place.  In  the  wall  is  a 
rusted  ring  to  which,  the  attendant  tells  you 
with  all  confidence,  the  prisoner  was  chained. 

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PAUL'S    LETTERS 

There  in  lonely  submission  to  his  Master  s 
will  he  awaited  the  footfall  of  his  executioner ; 
and  by  the  dim  light  through  the  roof  of 
his  dungeon  he  wrote  this  last  farewell. 

There  are  only  four  chapters,  and  each  has 
its  keynote.  That  of  the  first  chapter  is 
Remember,  Here  Paul  revives  his  memories 
of  the  old  home  at  Lystra,  when  his  wounds 
had  been  bandaged  and  cared  for  by  Mother 
Eunice  and  Grandmother  Lois  and  where 
Timothy  had  espoused  the  faith. 

(1)  He  enjoins  Timothy  to  "stir  up  the 
gift  that  is  in  him."  What  that  gift  was  he 
does  not  say,  but  presumably  it  was  one  of 
those  charismata  or  spiritual  gifts  with  which 
the  Lord's  people  were  equipped  for  service. 
(See  Eph.  4:4-16.)  Whatever  a  Christian's 
gift  may  be,  it  behooves  him  to  stir  it  up 
continually,  lest  the  fire  die  down  into  the 
dull  embers  of  spiritual  apathy. 

(2)  He  exhorts  him  to  guard  "that  good 
thing  which  was  committed  unto  thee, 
through  the  Holy  Spirit  which  dwelleth  in 
us."  This  trust  was  the  Gospel,  of  which 
every  Christian  is  a  steward,  under  bonds  to 
dispense  it  to  the  glory  of  God. 

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PAUL'S    LETTERS 

The  keynote  of  the  second  chapter  is  "Be 
strong/'  It  is  pathetic  to  hear  this  old  man, 
small  of  stature  and  of  feeble  physique,  dwell- 
ing so  strenuously  on  the  importance  of  being 
strong.  He  could  not  be  an  athlete,  but  Tim- 
othy must  be.  He  could  not  be  a  soldier,  but 
Timothy  must  fight  for  mastery.  He  him- 
self could  only  be  patient  now.  "Be  not 
ashamed  of  my  sufferings,  for  in  them  I  do 
fill  up  the  measure  of  the  sufferings  of 
Christ.  As  for  thyself,  however,  be  strong; 
be  a  wise  contender  in  the  games,  that  thou 
mayest  win  the  crown;  be  a  good  soldier  of 
Jesus  Christ;  be  an  able  workman,  needing 
not  to  be  ashamed,  rightly  handling  the 
word  of  truth!" 

It  is  easy  to  be  a  minimum  Christian,  but 
maximum  is  Paul's  word  to  Timothy.  It  is 
easy  to  stand  in  the  market  place  with  folded 
hands  waiting  for  a  job;  but  when  the  Master 
comes  this  way  pointing  to  the  yellow  harvest 
and  saying,  "Come  thou  and  reap  with  me," 
the  quality  of  our  Christian  life  depends  on 
how  we  answer  him. 

The  keynote  of  the  third  chapter  is  Con- 
tinue.   "For  grievous  times  shall  come"  when 

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PAUL'S    LETTERS 

men  shall  have  *'a  form  of  godliness  while 
denying  the  power  thereof;  from  such  turn 
away." 

(1)  Continue  in  "the  power  of  godliness." 
What  is  that?  It  is  the  opposite  of  "the 
form"  of  godliness.  It  is  a  Christian  pro- 
fession translated  into  character  and  useful- 
ness. It  is  a  name  written  not  only  on  a 
church  roster  but  in  the  Lamb's  book  of  life 
for  faithfulness.  It  is  religion  as  a  business 
and  not  as  an  avocation  for  odd  moments. 
It  is  a  dynamic  for  service  and  not  a  mere 
sentiment  for  tears  and  prayers. 

(2)  Continue  in  "the  knowledge  of  the 
truth."  And  here  is  where  the  Scriptures 
come  in.  "But  continue  thou  in  the  things 
which  thou  hast  learned  and  hast  been  assured 
of,  knowing  of  whom  thou  hast  learned  them; 
and  that  from  a  child  thou  hast  known  the 
holy  Scriptures,  which  are  able  to  make  thee 
wise  unto  salvation  through  faith  which  is  in 
Christ  Jesus.  All  Scripture  is  given  by 
inspiration  of  God  and  is  profitable  for  doc- 
trine, for  reproof,  for  correction,  for  instruc- 
tion in  righteousness:  that  the  man  of  God 

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PAUL'S    LETTERS 

may  be  perfect,   thoroughly  furnished  unto 
all  good  works."    (3:14-17.) 

The  young  man  is  here  advised  that  there 
are  professing  Christians  in  his  parish  who 
are  "ever  learning  and  never  able  to  come  to 
the  knowledge  of  the  truth,"  because  they 
have  no  ultimate  standard  of  truth  except 
that  of  their  "inner  consciousness"  as  against 
the  ultimate  and  trustworthy  authority  of 
Scripture.  There  are  such  people  in  every 
parish,  who  never  rest  in  any  postulate  long 
enough  to  say,  "This  I  know,"  but  are  for- 
ever going  back  to  rediscuss  the  rudiments, 
which  they  should  have  settled  long  ago. 

The  keynote  of  the  fourth  chapter  is 
Preach,  Preach  what?  "Preach  the  Word." 
Why?  Because  "the  time  will  come  when 
they  will  not  endure  sound  doctrine ;  but  after 
their  own  lusts  shall  they  heap  to  themselves 
teachers,  having  itching  ears;  and  they  shall 
turn  away  their  ears  from  the  truth,  and 
shall  be  turned  unto  fables.  But  watch  thou 
in  all  things,  endure  afflictions,  do  the  work 
of  an  evangelist,  make  full  proof  of  thy 
ministry."  (4:3-5.) 

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PAUL'S  LETTERS 

By  this  it  appears  that  Timothy  was  to 
give  the  people  not  what  they  craved  but 
what  they  needed,  namely,  the  Word  of  God. 
On  this  is  conditioned  the  success  of  all 
preaching.  It  was  not  Timothy's  word  that 
the  people  needed,  but  God's  Word.  Here 
is  the  promise:  **My  word  (not  yours)  shall 
not  return  unto  me  void,  but  shall  accomplish 
that  which  I  please  and  prosper  in  the  thing 
whereunto  I  sent  it." 

In  closing,  Paul  entreats  Timothy  to  come 
to  him  with  all  haste,  because,  save  for  faith- 
ful Luke,  he  is  alone  and  lonely.  The  winter 
is  drawing  on,  the  dungeon  is  cold:  "When 
thou  comest,  bring  with  thee  the  cloak  which 
I  left  at  Troas." 

And  then  farewell.  "I  am  now  ready  to  be 
offered  and  the  time  of  my  departure  is  at 
hand.  I  have  fought  a  good  fight.  I  have 
finished  my  course,  I  have  kept  the  faith: 
henceforth  there  is  laid  up  for  me  a  crown 
of  righteousness  which  the  Lord,  the  right- 
eous Judge,  shall  give  me  at  that  day." 
(4:6-8.) 

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PAUL'S  LETTERS 

'Servant  of  God,  well  done. 

Rest  from  thy  loved  employ : 
The  battle  fought,  the  victory  won. 

Enter  thy  Master's  joy. 
The  voice  at  midnight  came; 

He  started  up  to  hear; 
A  mortal  arrow  pierced  his  frame; 

He  fell,  but  felt  no  fear. 

At  midnight  came  the  cry, 

*To  meet  thy  God  prepare  !* 
He  woke,  and  caught  his   Captain's  eye 

Then,  strong  in  faith  and  prayer, 
His  spirit  with  a  bound 

Left  its  encumbering  clay; 
His  tent,  at  sunrise,  on  the  ground, 

A  darkened  ruin  lay. 

The  pains  of  death  are  past. 

Labor  and  sorrow  cease. 
And,  life's  long  warfare  closed  at  last, 

His  soul  is  found  in  peace. 
Soldier  of  Christ,  well  done. 

Praise  be  thy  new  employ; 
And,  while  eternal  ages  run. 

Rest  in  thy  Saviour's  joy." 


135 


XII 


THE  EPISTLE  TO  TITUS 

THE  PASTOR  OF  A  HARD  PARISH 

In  the  year  66  Paul  was  summoned  before 
Nero  and,  strange  to  say,  acquitted  and  set 
free.  He  refers  to  it  briefly  as  follows:  "At 
my  first  answer  no  man  stood  with  me,  but  all 
men  forsook  me.  I  pray  God  that  it  may  not 
be  laid  to  their  charge.  Notwithstanding,  the 
Lord  stood  with  me  and  strengthened  me: 
that  by  me  the  preaching  might  be  fully 
known  and  that  all  the  Gentiles  might  hear: 
and  I  was  delivered  out  of  the  mouth  of  the 
lion."     (2  Tim.  4:16,  17.) 

On  being  released  from  custody  he  imme- 
diately set  about  preparing  for  another  mis- 
sionary journey.  We  have  no  means  of 
knowing  who  were  chosen  to  be  his  com- 
panions on  this  journey,  except  that  among 
them  was  Titus,  a  young  Gentile,  and  prob- 
ably one  of  the  first  converted  under  Paul. 
It   is   quite  possible   that   at  the   outset   the 

136 


PAUL'S  LETTERS 

missionary  group  made  for  Spain,  in  fulfil- 
ment of  one  of  Paul's  long-cherished  dreams. 
(Romans  15:24-28.) 

On  returning  from  Spain  they  would  nat- 
urally sail  eastward  through  the  Mediter- 
ranean and  certainly  touch  at  the  island  of 
Crete  for  supplies.  Crete  (Candia)  was  then 
an  important  place,  as  it  has  ever  since  con- 
tinued to  be.  It  was  only  a  hundred  and 
forty  miles  long  and  one  quarter  as  wide,  but 
the  density  of  its  population  may  be  inferred 
from  the  fact  that  Virgil  called  it  "the  island 
of  a  hundred  cities."  The  Cretans  were  no- 
torious for  their  sensual  vices;  but  when  Paul 
and  his  companions  landed  they  found  not 
a  few  Christians  among  them.  It  may  be 
that  the  Gospel  had  been  introduced  by  cer- 
tain Cretans  who  are  mentioned  as  having 
been  present  in  Jerusalem,  thirty  odd  years 
before,  at  the  Pentecostal  effusion  of  the 
Spirit.  (Acts  2:11.)  In  any  case  there  were 
Christians  on  the  island  who  needed  care;  and 
Paul  was  not  the  man  to  neglect  them. 

It  was  decided  that  Titus  should  remain 
and  take  charge  of  this  difficult  parish.  His 
unswerving  loyalty  to  the  faith  and  tactful- 

137 


PAUL'S  LETTERS 

ness  in  meeting  difficult  situations,  as  at  the 
Council  in  Jerusalem  and  on  other  occasions 
(see  Gal.  2:3-5,  also  2  Cor.  12:18),  were  in 
evidence  as  qualifications  for  the  place.  It 
was  not  Paul's  purpose,  however,  to  leave 
him  there  permanently,  but  only  until  some 
other  suitable  man  could  be  sent  to  relieve 
him.     (Titus  3:12.) 

So  the  ship  sailed  on.  It  was  Paul's  plan 
to  winter  in  Nicopolis  and  then  resume  his 
itinerary.  Meanwhile  Titus  remained  alone 
in  Crete;  and  while  there  he  received  this 
letter,  the  Epistle  to  Titus,  containing  in- 
structions as  to  his  work. 

AS  TO  THE  ORGANIZATION  OF  THE  CRETAN 
CHURCH 

Chapter  1 

"For  this  cause  left  I  thee  in  Crete,  that 
thou  shouldest  set  in  order  the  things  that  are 
wanting,  and  ordain  elders  in  every  city,  as 
I  had  appointed  thee." 

It  was  no  small  task  to  "set  in  order"  the 
affairs  of  Christians  in  a  hundred  cities  and 
bind  them  together  in  due  form  under 
ordained  elders.  It  is  safe  to  say  that  these 
believers,  having  been  so  long  without  com- 

138 


PAUL'S  LETTERS 

petent  teachers  and  leaders,  had  the  loosest 
sort  of  notions  as  to  the  duties  and  responsi- 
bilities of  the  Christian  life. 

And  consider  their  surroundings.  The 
people  of  the  island  were  proverbially  vicious. 
To  begin  with,  they  were  indolent,  or,  to  use 
Paul's  homely  phrase,  "slow  bellies."  Many 
of  them  were  wreckers;  having  no  means  of 
gaining  a  livehhood  but  by  luring  vessels  to 
ruin  on  the  rocky  coasts  and  plundering 
them. 

And  they  were  known  everywhere  for  their 
untruthfulness.  "The  Cretans,"  says  Paul, 
quoting  from  Epimenides,  one  of  their  own 
teachers,  "are  always  liars."  This  is  a  vice 
common  to  all  Oriental  peoples,  who  are 
habitually  secretive  and  averse  to  making  a 
clean  breast  of  anything;  but  the  Cretans 
were  accorded  a  singular  pre-eminence  in  this 
particular. 

Their  third  notorious  vice  was  sensuality. 
Paul  speaks  of  them  as  "evil  beasts,"  which 
is  usually  regarded  as  having  reference  to 
gluttony;  but  gluttony  does  not  cover  the 
case.    They  were  addicted  to  other  and  baser 

139 


PAUL'S  LETTERS 

indulgences  of  the  flesh,  which  must  be  left 
to  the  imagination  rather  than  spoken  of. 

Now  these  were  the  people  among  whom  a 
handful  of  Christians,  without  the  guidance 
of  teachers  or  the  support  of  organization, 
had  been  trying  for  years  to  maintain  their 
spiritual  life.  Surely  Titus  had  a  difficult 
task  before  him. 

THE  YOUNG  MINISTER  IS  FURTHER  ENJOINED  TO 

LOOK   TO    THE    ORTHODOXY   OF 

HIS  PARISHIONERS 

Chapter  2 

"Speak  thou  the  things  which  become 
sound  doctrine."  A  literal  translation  of  the 
word  orthodoxy  is  "straight  teaching,"  which 
was  what  the  Cretans  needed.  It  goes  with- 
out saying  that,  after  so  long  neglect,  they 
had  fallen  into  many  errors  of  belief.  We 
are  inclined  to  over-emphasize  the  prevalence 
of  heresy  in  the  churches  of  our  time;  the 
fact  being  that  the  early  Christians — before 
the  historic  creeds  or  symbols  of  belief  were 
formulated — had  to  be  constantly  recalled 
from  doctrinal  aberrations  to  the  necessity  of 
standing  by  the  faith  once  for  all  delivered  to 
the  saints.     It  would  be  strange,  indeed,  con- 

140 


PAUL'S  LETTERS 

sidering  their  environment,  had  the  Cretans 
needed  no  special  correction  and  no  "straight 
teaching"  as  to  the  fundamental  doctrines 
that  center  in  Christ. 

This  injunction  of  Paul  is  logically  fol- 
lowed by  another,  to  wit:  that  Titus  shall 
see  to  it  that  his  parishioners  "adorn  the  doc- 
trine"; which  means,  of  course,  that  they  live 
up  to  it.  For  "faith  without  works  is  dead"; 
in  other  words,  it  is  no  faith  at  all.  Ortho- 
doxy saves  nobody  unless  it  is  translated  into 
the  terms  of  daily  life.  Straight  teaching 
must,  therefore,  be  followed  up  by  the  incul- 
cation of  straight  living. 

At  this  point  the  Apostle  becomes  very 
specific,  advising  the  aged  men  and  women, 
then  the  young  men  and  women,  and  then  the 
slaves  as  to  how  they  can  best  show  them- 
selves "patterns  of  good  works";  and  his 
advice  is  based  upon  the  fact  that  Christ 
had  died  for  us  "that  he  might  redeem  us 
from  all  iniquity,  and  purify  unto  himself  a 
peculiar  people,  zealous  of  good  works" 

Those  who  think  that  the  Apostle  James 
was  at  odds  with  the  Apostle  Paul  as  to  the 
necessity  of  good  works  in  the  scheme  of  sal- 

141 


PAUL'S  LETTERS 

vation  will  do  well  to  stop,  look  and  listen  a 
while. 

THE    DUTY    OF    OBEDIENCE    IS    HERE    ENJOINED, 

FIRST  TO  CHRIST,  AND  THEN  TO  THE 

POWERS  THAT  BE 

Chapter  3 

It  was  necessary  to  remind  these  peopie, 
belonging  to  a  lawless  community,  that  as 
Christians  they  must  be  in  subjection  to  mag- 
istrates because,  however  inefficient  those 
magistrates  might  be  as  executives  of  law 
and  order,  they  were  "ordained  by  God." 

The  young  minister  having  been  thus  duly 
enjoined  to  "exhort  and  rebuke,"  the  rest  of 
the  brief  Epistle  is  taken  up  with  affectionate 
greetings,  and  it  closes,  of  course,  with  the 
benediction,  "Grace  be  unto  you." 

How  Titus  succeeded  in  his  hard  parish  we 
have  no  means  of  knowing:  but  we  may  rest 
assured  that  he  did  his  best,  leaning  hard  on 
God.  In  the  centuries  that  have  intervened 
between  then  and  now  the  island  has  not 
lacked  for  Christian  witnesses.  It  has  long 
been  under  the  political  domination  of  the 
Turks,  but  the  religion  of  the  false  prophet 
has  never  gained  a  substantial  foothold  there. 

142 


PAUL'S  LETTERS 

The  prevailing  form  of  worship  has  always 
been  that  of  the  Greek  Church;  and  inas- 
much as  the  island  has  recently  been  restored 
to  Greece  by  the  arbitrament  of  war,  there  is 
reason  to  hope  for  better  days. 

It  is  related  that  while  Dr.  Guthrie  was 
minister  in  the  Cowgate  at  Edinburgh,  he 
was  visited  by  his  friend.  Dr.  Chalmers, 
whose  parish  was  of  a  very  different  sort. 
One  night  as  they  stood  together  on  one  of 
the  bridges  over  the  ravine  which  divides  the 
old  city  from  the  new,  looking  down  upon 
"the  Cowgate"  with  its  surging  throng  of 
submerged  souls,  Dr.  Guthrie  turned  to  his 
friend  and  said  with  tears  in  his  voice,  "O 
Chalmers,  this  is  my  golden  field!  See  them, 
the  dear  reckless  people,  whom  the  Lord  has 
given  me  to  win  for  him!" 

So  must  Titus  have  thought  of  his  Cretan 
parish.  It  was  his  golden  field!  But  the 
probability  is  that  his  pastorate  was  a  brief 
one.  It  was  PauFs  purpose  to  send  Artemas 
or  Tychicus  to  relieve  him  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible; and  then  he  wrote  to  Titus:  "Be  dili- 
gent to  come  unto  me  to  Nicopolis,  for  I  have 
determined  there  to  winter." 

143 


PAUL'S  LETTERS 

It  is  a  true  saying,  Man  proposes,  but  God 
disposes.  Paul  planned,  after  wintering  at 
Nicopolis,  to  resume  his  missionary  journey, 
taking  Titus  with  him.  But  instead  of  win- 
tering in  Nicopolis,  he  summered  in  heaven. 
He  was  rearrested  and  carried  back  to  Rome, 
where,  at  his  second  trial,  sentence  of  death 
was  passed  upon  him.  Somewhere  outside 
the  walls  the  tired  missionary  bowed  his  head 
to  the  axe,  closed  his  dim  old  eyes  and,  a 
moment  later,  opened  them  in  the  Kingdom 
of  God. 


144 


XIII 


THE  EPISTLE  TO  PHILEMON 

"THE  POLITE   EPISTLE" 

Keynote:     "For  Love's  Sake" 

As  a  rule  the  letters  of  Paul  are  distin- 
guished for  strength  rather  than  for  rhetor- 
ical finish.  In  this  one,  however,  he  betrays 
the  scholarly  culture  which  he  had  received 
in  the  University  of  Jerusalem,  where  he  sat 
at  the  feet  of  Gamaliel,  "the  Flower  of  the 
Law." 

It  is  the  only  letter  addressed  by  Paul  to 
a  layman.  His  other  Epistles  were  either 
general,  parochial  or  pastoral;  but  here  he 
writes  to  a  private  friend;  and  for  this  reason 
the  letter  affords  an  interesting  sidelight  into 
the  writer's  personal  life  and  character. 

And  it  was  written  with  Paul's  own  hand. 
In  other  cases  he  made  use  of  an  amanuensis, 
which  was  necessary  not  only  by  reason  of  his 
age  and  infirmities,  but  because  he  was  a  pris- 

145 


PAUL'S  LETTERS 

oner  in  chains.  Here,  however,  the  writing 
is  his  very  own.  It  is  safe  to  say  the  lines 
were  uncertain  and  the  characters  rude;  hut 
what  would  we  not  give  to  see  that  tremulous 
autograph:  "I,  Paul,  with  mine  own  hand. 
The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with 
your  spirit"! 

The  letter  is  chiefly  remarkable,  however, 
for  its  broad  spirit  of  humanity.  It  touches 
on  one  of  the  greatest  of  social  questions  and 
in  doing  so  lays  a  mighty  emphasis  on  the 
brotherhood  of  man.  Nowhere  else  does  the 
great  Apostle  so  uncover  his  breast  as  in  this 
little  letter  addressed  to  Philemon  as  his  spir- 
itual son. 

It  carries  us  back  to  the  year  56,  when 
Paul  was  sojourning  in  Ephesus.  He 
preached  there  for  a  period  of  two  years, 
making  his  headquarters  in  the  lecture  room 
of  Tyrannus.  Meanwhile  he  extended  his 
ministry  by  frequent  itineraries  among  the 
outlying  towns. 

One  of  these  towns  was  Colosse.  There  he 
made  the  acquaintance  of  a  weaver  whose 
name  was  Philemon.  It  was  natural  that 
Paul,  who  made  his  living  by  the  kindred 

146 


PAUL'S  LETTERS 

trade  of  tentmaking,  should  cultivate  friendly 
relations  with  him.  In  due  time,  almost  as  a 
matter  of  course,  this  weaver  was  converted 
to  Christ.  His  wife,  Apphia,  and  his  son, 
Archippus,  were  also  baptized;  and  presently 
we  hear  of  "the  church  in  the  house  of  Phile- 
mon," which  was  destined  to  play  an  import- 
ant part  in  subsequent  events.  In  this  house 
Paul  was  accustomed  to  hold  divine  service, 
with  the  family  and  neighbors  gathered  about 
him.  The  slaves  of  Philemon,  of  whom  he 
probably  had  a  considerable  number  engaged 
in  his  shop  and  warehouse,  were  present  at 
these  services. 

So  it  happened  that  Onesimus,  one  of  these 
slaves,  heard  the  Gospel.  His  heart,  no  doubt 
embittered  by  his  bondage,  was  poor  soil  for 
the  good  seed.  He  could  not  forget  the  dis- 
tant home,  from  which  he  had  probably  been 
carried  away  in  some  Roman  raid.  The  in- 
justice of  his  bonds  rankled  within  him.  He 
was  at  odds  with  fate,  with  his  master,  and 
with  God. 

All  this  was  seven  years  before  the  writing 
of  this  letter.  In  the  meantime  many  things 
have  happened.     Paul  had  gone  hither  and 

147 


PAUL'S  LETTERS 

yon  on  his  missionary  journeys,  crossing  the 
deserts  and  climbing  the  mountains  to  preach 
the  Gospel  of  Christ.  He  had  endured 
"perils  of  robbers,  perils  of  his  own  country- 
men, perils  by  the  heathen,  perils  in  the  city, 
perils  in  the  wilderness  and  perils  in  the  sea." 
He  had  known  "weariness  and  painfulness, 
hunger  and  thirst,  fastings  and  cold  and  nak- 
edness." He  had  been  stoned  more  than  once 
and  had  suffered  shipwreck.  Five  times  he 
had  received  forty  stripes  save  one.  He  had 
tasted  prison  fare  in  many  cities.  He  had 
passed  two  dreary  years  in  the  Castle  at 
Ceesarea;  after  which,  falling  back  on  his 
rights  as  a  Roman  citizen,  he  had  made  his 
appeal  to  Caesar.  Reaching  Rome  at  length, 
through  many  vicissitudes,  he  was  taken  to 
the  Prsetorian  camp  and  kept  as  a  prisoner 
of  importance  with  guards  chained  to  his 
wrists.  He  was,  however,  allowed  a  certain 
measure  of  freedom,  being  permitted  to  dwell 
in  his  own  hired  house  and  receive  his  friends. 
His  preaching  at  this  time  was  fruitful  in 
many  conversions,  among  whom  were  some  of 
the  attendants  in  Caesar's  palace.     The  hired 

148 


PAUL'S  LETTERS 

house  of  Paul  was  the  resort  of  many  seekers 
after  truth. 

One  day  a  wretched  man  in  rags  and 
tatters  came  to  visit  him.  He  was  worn  and 
emaciated,  with  a  hunted  look  in  his  eyes.  It 
was  the  slave  Onesimus,  who  had  heard  the 
Gospel  in  the  house  of  Philemon  so  long  ago. 
Paul  received  him,  won  his  confidence  and 
brought  him  to  the  saving  knowledge  of 
Christ.  Then  came  his  confession:  he  had 
escaped  from  Colosse  and  made  his  way 
through  danger  and  difficulty  to  Rome,  a 
thousand  miles  away!  It  sounds  like  the 
stories  we  used  to  hear  of  negroes  fleeing 
through  the  Dismal  Swamp  with  bloodhounds 
baying  behind  them.  The  runaway  had 
hoped,  no  doubt,  to  lose  himself  among  the 
throngs  of  Rome;  for  there  is  no  wilderness 
like  a  great  city.  But  conscience  pursued 
him.  He  confessed  to  Paul  that  he  was  not 
only  a  fugitive  but  a  thief.  He  had  robbed 
his  master.  How  could  he  become  a  Chris- 
tian with  that  awful  shadow  over  him?  The 
advice  of  Paul  was  that  he  should  at  once 
return  to  his  master  and  give  himself  up. 

149 


PAUL'S  LETTERS 

These  were  the  circumstances  under  which 
this  letter  was  written.  Onesimus  himself  was 
charged  with  its  safe  transmission  to  Colosse, 
and  he  was  a  voluntary  postman.  "Haste, 
post,  haste!"  Imagine  the  meeting  of  this 
runaway  slave  and  his  master! 

The  letter  is  very  brief,  consisting  of  a 
single  chapter  only  twenty-five  verses  long; 
but  what  a  multum  in  parvo! 

Greeting  (verses  1-3)  from  Paul  and  Tim- 
othy, his  "brother,"  to  Philemon,  his  wife 
Apphia  and  son  Archippus  (see  Col.  4:17), 
together  with  the  church  in  their  house, 
"Grace  to  you,  and  peace." 

Introduction  (4-9).  The  request  which 
Paul  is  about  to  make  of  Philemon  demands 
the  exercise  of  consummate  tact.  Observe 
now  the  tact  and  tactics  of  this  clever  dialec- 
tician: he  does  not  plunge  abruptly  in  medias 
res,  but  puts  Philemon  in  remembrance  of  his 
indebtedness  to  Paul  for  having  conveyed  to 
him  "every  good  thing  which  was  in  him"  by 
the  faith  of  the  unspeakable  riches  of  Jesus 
Christ;  "wherefore,"  says  the  writer,  "though 
I  might  enjoin  thee,  yet  for  love's  sake,  I 
rather  beseech  thee." 

150 


PAUL'S  LETTERS 

The  Business  in  Hand  (10-22).  It  is  easy 
to  imagine  the  scene:  Philemon  in  his  door- 
way at  Colosse,  facing  his  former  slave,  who 
awaits  with  anxiety  a  decision  that  means 
everything  to  him.  The  master  reads,  "I 
beseech  thee  for  my  son  Onesimus.''  He 
knows  what  that  means;  for  he  is  himself  one 
of  Paul's  large  family  of  spiritual  sons.  Is 
this  runaway  slave  of  his,  now  trembling  at 
his  threshold,  indeed  a  brother  in  Christ? 
Then,  truly,  their  relations  are  changed.  And 
this  is  what  Paul  now  proceeds  to  show  in  a 
threefold  request. 

First  (10-14),  he  bespeaks  a  welcome  for 
Onesimus:  "Thou,  therefore,  receive  him  as 
mine  own  heart." 

Second  (15-17),  he  asks  Philemon  to  re- 
ceive this  runaway  bondman  as  a  fellow- 
worker  in  spiritual  things:  "If  thou  count 
me  therefore  a  partner,  receive  him  as  my- 
self," i.e.,  no  longer  as  a  menial,  but  as  a 
brother  beloved  and  as  a  profit-sharer  in  the 
service  of  Christ.  Here  verily  is  the  true 
Christian  spirit ;  for  in  this  fellowship  there  is 
neither  Jew  nor  Greek,  barbarian,  Scythian, 
bond  nor  free;  but  Christ  is  all  and  in  all. 

151 


PAUL'S  LETTERS 

Third  (18,  19),  he  asks  that  Onesimus  may 
be  forgiven  of  whatever  wrong  or  injury  he 
may  have  done  his  master.  This  includes  the 
money  that  he  had  stolen  from  him.  *'If  he 
oweth  thee  aught,"  says  Paul,  "put  that  on 
mine  account.  I,  Paul,  have  so  written  with 
mine  own  hand;  I  will  repay  it."  This  sounds 
like  a  promissory  note;  and  considering  the 
financial  status  of  Paul,  it  could  scarcely  be 
expected  that  he  would  ever  pay  it.  He  re- 
minds Philemon,  however,  that  he  has  a  run- 
ning account  with  him  and  that  he  proposes 
to  draw  on  it,  "Albeit,  I  do  not  say  to  thee 
how  thou  owest  unto  me  even  thine  own  self." 
He  engages,  however,  that  Onesimus  shall 
make  all  possible  restitution,  saying,  "He 
who  was  in  time  past  unprofitable  shall  now 
be  profitable  unto  thee."  * 


*A  letter  written  by  Pliny  to  his  friend  Sabinianus,  in  behalf 
of  a  runaway  slave,  is  referred  to  as  furnishing  a  singular 
parallel  to  this  Epistle  of  Paul.  In  that  letter,  which  is  here 
given,  it  will  be  observed  that,  notwithstanding  its  beautiful 
spirit,  there  is  no  mention  of  equality  or  brotherly  love.  "Pliny 
to  Sabinianus,  greeting:  Your  freedman,  whom  you  lately  men- 
tioned to  me  with  displeasure,  has  been  with  me,  and  threw 
himself  at  my  feet  with  as  much  submission  as  he  could  have 
done  at  yours.  He  earnestly  requested  me,  with  many  tears, 
and  even  with  all  the  eloquence  of  silent  sorrow,  to  intercede 
for  him ;  in  short,  he  convinced  me  by  his  whole  behavior  that  he 
sincerely  repents  of  his  fault.    I  am  persuaded  he  is  thoroughly 


PAUL'S  LETTERS 

So  runs  the  philosophy  of  the  Gospel. 
Down  go  the  artificial  walls  of  caste!  How 
hard  it  is  for  us  to  realize  this.  We  are  slow 
to  admit  that  blood  is  thicker  than  water; 
and  that  in  the  atoning  blood  of  Christ  a 
kinship  is  created  which  bridges  the  gulf  be- 
tween prince  and  peasant,  between  master 
and  man,  between  the  stately  housewife  and 
Cinderella  at  her  kitchen  fire. 

The  remainder  of  this  brief  Epistle  is  taken 
up  with  salutations  and  the  benediction,  "The 


reformed,  because  he  seems  deeply  sensible  of  his  guilt.  I 
know  you  are  angry  with  him,  and  I  know  it  is  not  without 
reason;  but  clemency  can  never  exert  itself  more  laudably  than 
when  there  is  the  most  cause  for  resentment.  You  once  had 
an  affection  for  this  man,  and,  I  hope,  will  have  again;  in  the 
meanwhile,  let  me  only  prevail  with  you  to  pardon  him.  If  he 
should  incur  your  displeasure  hereafter,  you  will  have  so  much 
the  stronger  plea  in  excuse  for  your  anger  as  you  show  your- 
self the  more  exorable  to  him  now.  Concede  something  to  his 
youth,  to  his  tearS'  and  to  your  own  natural  mildness  of  temper; 
do  not  make  him  uneasy  any  longer,  and  I  will  add,  too,  do 
not  make  yourself  so;  for  a  man  of  your  benevolence  of  heart 
cannot  be  angry  without  feeling  great  uneasiness.  I  am  afraid, 
were  I  to  join  my  entreaties  with  his,  I  should  seem  rather  to 
compel  than  request  you  to  forgive  him.  Yet  I  will  not  scruple 
even  to  unite  mine  with  his;  and  in  so  much  the  stronger  terms, 
as  I  have  very  sharply  and  severely  reproved  him,  positively 
threatening  never  to  interpose  again  in  his  behalf.  But  though 
it  was  proper  to  say  this  to  him,  in  order  to  make  him  more 
fearful  of  offending,  I  do  not  say  so  to  you.  I  may,  perhaps, 
again  have  occasion  to  entreat  you  upon  his  account,  and  again 
obtain  your  forgiveness;  supposing,  I  mean,  his  fault  should 
be  such  as  may  become  me  to  intercede  and  you  to  pardon. 
Farewell." 

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PAUL'S  LETTERS 

grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with  your 
spirit." 

Let  us  accompany  Onesimus  on  his  return 
to  Colosse  with  this  letter  in  hand.  He  pre- 
sents himself  at  his  owner's  door — for  the  last 
time  at  the  back  door.  Observe  the  masterful 
look  in  Philemon's  face.  He  is  thinking, 
perhaps,  of  the  bastinado;  and  in  common 
justice  the  runaway  thief  deserves  it.  But  as 
Philemon  reads,  his  countenance  changes;  the 
angry  wrinkles  are  smoothed  out;  a  warm 
hand  is  extended :  "Welcome,  Onesimus,  my 
brother  in  Christ." 

So  ends  the  story,  like  the  "Mystery  of 
Edwin  Drood,"  with  a  long  dash.  But  tradi- 
tion furnishes  the  sequel;  it  says  that  Onesi- 
mus became  a  faithful  toiler  in  the  shop  of 
Philemon,  that  he  lived  a  consistent  Christian 
life,  that  in  later  years  he  became  pastor  of 
the  Colossian  church,  and  finally  sealed  his 
faithfulness  with  martyrdom.  If  so,  there 
must  have  been  a  fine  greeting  at  heaven's 
gate  when  Paul,  who  had  been  beheaded  be- 
neath the  walls  of  Rome,  met  the  slave  who 
had  just  arrived  at  heaven's  gate  in  a  chariot 
of  fire. 

154 


PAUL'S  LETTERS  , 

There  are  two  practical  thoughts  suggested 
by  this  letter. 

The  first  is  the  power  of  the  Gospel  to 
revolutionize  the  character  of  a  man.  In 
Luther's  exposition  of  this  Scripture  he  says, 
"We  are  all  Onesimi";  by  which  I  suppose 
he  means  that  we  are  all  fugitives  from  law 
and  justice;  "for  there  is  no  difference;  all 
have  sinned  and  come  short  of  the  glory  of 
God."  We  are  runaways  from  truth  and 
duty,  from  conscience  and  from  God. 

And  to  all  alike  the  Gospel  offers  a  free 
pardon.  The  plea  which  Christ  makes  for 
us  sinners  is  the  same  that  Paul  made  in  be- 
half of  the  fugitive  slave.  He  takes  our  place 
at  the  bar  of  the  offended  law,  saying,  "If 
this  man  hath  wronged  thee  or  oweth  thee 
aught,  put  that  to  mine  account.  I,  Christ, 
with  mine  own  hand,  I  will  repay  it!" 

Nor  is  that  all.  He  proposes  to  recon- 
struct us;  so  that  whereas  we  have  been  un- 
profitable servants,  we  may  now  be  profitable 
to  God.  He  turns  us  right  about  face.  He 
regenerates  us  by  his  Spirit;  so  that  "old 
things  are  passed  away  and,  behold,  all 
things    are    become    new."      One    who    truly 

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PAUL'S  LETTERS 

submits  himself  to  the  power  of  Christ  gets  a 
new  mind,  a  new  heart,  a  new  conscience, 
and  a  new  will.  Is  there  any  power  on  earth 
except  the  Gospel  which  can  do  this?  We 
speak  of  the  mystery  of  regeneration;  but 
however  mysterious  it  may  be,  there  is  no 
denying  it.  The  miracle  is  constantly  going 
on.  How  often  have  we  seen  a  drunkard 
taken  out  of  the  gutter  and  set  upon  his  feet 
by  the  grace  of  God!  How  often  have  we 
seen  a  forlorn  woman  taken  out  of  her  shame 
and  restored  to  character  and  self-respect  by 
the  Gospel!  We  may  not  be  able  to  under- 
stand or  explain  it;  but  blessed  be  God,  we 
are  familiar  with  it. 

The  other  truth  that  lingers  with  us  is  the 
power  of  the  same  Gospel  to  transform  the 
world.  We  have  been  wondering,  no  doubt, 
why  Paul  in  this  letter  to  Philemon  did  not 
denounce  slavery  in  scathing  terms.  What 
an  opportunity  he  had  for  the  use  of  dyna- 
mite just  there!  But  this  is  not  the  divine 
way  of  doing  things.  God  works  in  the  calm 
logic  of  events.     "The  eternal  years  are  his." 

As  to  the  horrible  evil  of  human  bondage 
there  is  no  manner  of  doubt  nor  ever  was. 

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PAUL'S  LETTERS 

The  slave-market  in  Rome  was  the  industrial 
center  of  the  world  at  the  beginning  of  the 
Christian  era.  The  Roman  armies  went  forth 
to  conquest  and  returned  with  long  proces- 
sions of  captives  who  were  exposed  for  sale 
like  cattle  in  the  market.  There  were  only 
two  thousand  patricians  or  independent  men 
in  the  city  of  Rome  and  half  a  million  slaves. 
The  auction  block  furnished  the  shops  with 
toilers,  the  arena  with  gladiators,  and  the 
brothels  with  inmates.  These  slaves  lived  in 
stalls  or  ergastulce;  and  when  they  died  they 
were  thrown  to  the  fishes  or  cast  into  a  pit. 
All  this  was  horrible  beyond  words.  God 
knew  it;  and  he  proposed  to  do  away  with  it. 
But  his  ways  are  not  always  our  ways.  Christ 
came  into  the  world  to  break  every  chain  and 
bid  the  oppressed  go  free.  The  Gospel  is 
full  of  abolitionism;  but  not  that  of  John 
Brown  of  Osawatomie.  There  is  more  of 
love  and  less  of  battle  in  it. 

Our  Lord  likened  the  Kingdom  to  leaven 
which  works  noiselessly  but  in  due  time  leav- 
ens the  lump.  He  set  certain  great  prin- 
ciples in  motion  which  were  destined  to  bring 
about  the  desired  result.    He  gave  the  world 

15T 


PAUL'S  LETTERS 

his  Golden  Rule:  "Do  unto  others  as  ye 
would  be  done  by."  How  gloriously  that 
principle  has  been  doing  its  beneficent  work 
in  the  progress  of  the  ages! 

The  world  has  been  drawing  nearer  and 
nearer  to  the  brotherhood  of  man  as  it  has 
learned  more  and  more  of  the  Fatherhood  of 
God.  All  civilization  is  to-day  embraced 
within  the  charmed  circle  which  we  call  Chris- 
tendom; and  of  the  nations  within  its  bounds 
there  is  not  one  which  tolerates  slavery.  "He 
that  believeth  shall  not  make  haste." 

We  are  told  by  scientists  that  leaven  is  a 
mass  of  living  cells;  that  fermentation  is  not 
death  and  decay,  but  a  manifestation  of  life. 
So  is  God's  love  in  the  world.  "God  is  love," 
and  love  is  life.  God  has  manifested  himself 
in  Christ,  who  said,  "I  am  come  that  ye  might 
have  life,  and  that  ye  might  have  it  more 
abundantly."  His  Gospel  is  love  alive.  Its 
influence  is  transforming  the  world.  Men 
and  nations  are  drawing  closer  together  and 
seeing  face  to  face  and  eye  to  eye.  We  may 
not  precipitate  the  Golden  Age;  but  we  can 

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PAUL'S  LETTERS 

lend  a  hand  to  bring  it  in.  We  can  fall  in 
with  those  who  follow  the  conquering  Christ 
and,  by  interpreting  divine  love  in  terms  of 
practical  life,  we  may  hasten  the  coming  of 
the  time  when  all  alike  shall  enter  into  the 
glorious  liberty  of  the  children  of  God. 


159 


XIV 


THE  EPISTLE  TO  THE  HEBREWS 
"THE  ANONYMOUS  EPISTLE" 

We  come  now  to  Paul's  fourteenth  letter. 
Of  course  you  know  there  are  those  who  say 
Paul  did  not  write  it.  So  far  as  the  inspired 
truth  of  the  Epistle  goes  it  makes  little  or 
no  difference  whether  he  did  or  not;  but  I 
think  Paul  was  its  author,  and  my  reasons 
are  the  very  ones  that  are  urged  against  it. 

(1)  Its  anonymity.  The  presumption  is 
that  Paul,  having  written  one  Epistle  to  the 
Romans,  would  not  willingly  close  his  career 
without  writing  another  to  his  own  country- 
men for  whose  salvation  he  professed  an  over- 
mastering concern.  (Rom.  9:3.)  But  he 
was  in  such  bad  odor  with  the  Jews  on  ac- 
count of  his  insistence  that  Jesus  was  their 
Messiah,  that  he  would  certainly  deem  it  un- 
wise to  address  them  over  his  own  name.  In 
writing  to  the  Gentiles  he  could  boldly  say, 
*'I,  Paul,  an  apostle  of  Jesus  Christ,  salute 

m 


PAUL'S  LETTERS 

you,"  but  not  in  approaching  a  people  who 
were  bitterly  prejudiced  against  him. 

(2)  Its  rhetorical  style.  They  say  the  dic- 
tion of  the  Epistle  is  unlike  Paul.  No  doubt, 
in  some  respects,  this  is  correct;  but  suppose 
the  original  was  written  in  Hebrew,  as  there 
is  good  reason  to  believe,  and  translated  into 
Greek  by  his  faithful  and  learned  friend 
Luke,  is  it  not  likely  that  there  would  be 
some  twisting  and  turning  and  polishing  of 
rhetorical  phrases  in  the  process?  Neverthe- 
less there  are  enough  Pauline  ear-marks  to 
warrant  the  conclusion  that  scarcely  any  one 
else  could  have  written  it. 

(3)  But  the  tout  ensemble  is  the  main  argu- 
ment for  its  Pauline  authorship.  The  propo- 
sition, though  treated  from  a  different  stand- 
point, is  precisely  that  of  the  Epistle  to  the 
Romans,  to  wit,  Justification  by  Faith;  and 
Paul  stands  forth  above  all  others  as  the  his- 
toric advocate  and  defender  of  that  * 'postu- 
late of  a  standing  or  a  falling  church,"  as 
Luther  called  it.  The  two  great  Epistles  com- 
plement each  other  so  perfectly  that  it  is  dif- 
ficult to  account  for  either  their  agreements 

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PAUL'S  LETTERS 

or  their  differences  except  on  the  assumption 
that  one  composer  was  behind  them. 

The  title  of  the  Epistle  is  The  Priestly  Of- 
fice of  Christ, 

In  the  first  two  chapters  the  inspired  au- 
thor shows  that  Jesus  as  our  atoning  High 
Priest  is  superior  to  angels.  This  rests  upon 
his  claim  as  the  Son,  the  begotten  Son,  and 
the  only  begotten  Son  of  God.  "For  unto 
which  of  the  angels  said  he  at  any  time, 
Thou  art  my  son:  this  day  have  I  begotten 
thee?" 

In  the  next  two  chapters  he  shows  that 
Christ  as  our  High  Priest  is  superior  to 
Moses,  who  was  regarded  by  the  Jews  as 
second  only  to  God  himself.  This  rests  upon 
the  fact  that  Moses,  however  great,  was  a 
servant,  while  Christ  as  a  Son  claimed  to  be 
co-equal  with  the  Father.  Then  too  Moses 
as  representing  the  Law  "could  not  enter  in," 
while  Christ  as  "Joshua"  or  Jesus  leads  his 
people  by  way  of  Calvary  into  the  Land  of 
Rest. 

In  chapters  5-8  he  shows  the  superiority 
of  Christ  to  Aaron.  This  is  based  upon  the 
fact  that  Aaron  was  a  man,  serving  in  an  of- 

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PAUL'S  LETTERS 

fice  "ordained  of  men  in  things  pertaining 
to  God,"  while  Christ  is  "a  Priest  forever 
after  the  order  of  Melchizedek."  The  mys- 
terious figure  of  Melchizedek  here  introduced 
must  not  be  invested  with  the  supernatural; 
the  simple  and  significant  fact  being  that  he 
was  not  of  Israel  nor  of  the  Aaronic  line,  but 
a  devout  priest  of  some  alien  tribe,  of  whose 
history,  that  is,  the  "beginning  and  end  of 
his  days,"  little  or  nothing  was  known.  He 
belonged  to  the  universal  order  of  priesthood 
made  up  of  those  who  everywhere  wait  upon 
God.  To  this  superior  order,  rather  than  to 
that  of  Aaron,  did  Christ  belong,  inasmuch 
as  he  dwelt  beyond  the  horizons  of  all  human 
ordination. 

In  chapters  9,  10  he  affirms  the  superiority 
of  Christ  to  Levi.  The  family  of  Levi  were 
the  administrators  of  the  ceremonial  or  Levit- 
ical  Law.  This  most  elaborate  cult  of  rites 
and  ceremonies  was  intended  to  keep  alive  the 
Messianic  hope  until  Christ  should  appear. 
When  he  came  these  types  and  symbols  nat- 
urally and  automatically  ceased  to  be  bind- 
ing, being  fulfilled  in  him,  as  shadows  vanish 
at  the  break  of  day.     Thus  it  is  written  he 

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PAUL'S  LETTERS 

blotted  out  "the  handwriting  of  ordinances 
that  was  against  us,  which  was  contrary  to 
us,  and  took  it  out  of  the  way,  naihng  it  to 
his  cross;  and,  having  spoiled  principalities 
and  powers,  he  made  a  show  of  them  openly, 
triumphing  over  them  in  it."  (Col.  2:14,  15.) 

In  chapter  11  we  reach  the  climax  of  the 
argument.  In  this  wonderful  chapter  we 
have  ''the  Canticle  of  Faith'' 

"Now  faith  is  the  substance  of  things 
hoped  for,  the  evidence  of  things  not  seen." 
There  are  those  who  regard  believers  as  a 
credulous  folk;  but  faith,  so  far  from  being 
credulity,  is  substantial  and  evidential:  only 
it  has  to  do  with  things  beyond  the  purview 
of  the  physical  senses.  It  has  pleased  God 
to  equip  man  with  a  sixth  sense  for  the  ap- 
prehension of  spiritual  truth.  By  the  use  of 
this  sense,  which  distinguishes  him  from  all 
the  lower  orders  of  life,  he  is  able,  as  Kepler 
said,   "to   think   God's  thoughts   after  him." 

A  man  without  faith  is  a  materialist,  being 
shut  up  within  the  circumscription  of  his  fin- 
ger-tips. How  much  better  is  he  than  a 
sheep?  By  faith  we  solve  the  problems  that 
have  to  do  with  our  eternal   destiny.     The 

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PAULAS  LETTERS 

men  whose  names  are  enshrined  in  this  monu- 
mental eleventh  of  Hebrews  were  all  heroes 
of  faith.  They  dreamed  dreams  and  saw  vis- 
ions of  something  better  than  yellow  dust  or 
Sodom-apples  or  fading  wreaths  of  laurel. 
They  had  the  far-away  look;  and  that  far- 
away look  was  fixed  on  the  remote  figure  of 
One  "whom  kings  and  prophets  longed  to  see 
and  died  without  the  sight." 

Now  observe  the  strange  anticlimax: 
"These  all,  having  obtained  a  good  report, 
through  faith,  received  not  the  promise." 
Why  not?  ''God  having  provided  some  bet- 
ter  thing  for  us,  that  they  without  us  should 
not  be  made  perfect."  Thus  do  the  ends  of 
history  come  together  in  Christ.  These  fath- 
ers labored  in  faith  and,  behold,  how  we  have 
entered  into  their  labors.  Go  back  to  the  be- 
ginning of  the  Epistle  and  read  again:  "God, 
who  at  sundry  times  and  in  divers  manners 
spake  in  time  past  unto  the  fathers  by  the 
prophets,  hath  in  these  last  days  spoken  unto 
us  by  his  Son,  whom  he  hath  appointed  heir 
of  all  things,  by  whom  also  he  made  the 
worlds." 

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PAUL'S  LETTERS 

This  chapter  really  concludes  with  the  two 
first  verses  of  the  next,  in  which  we,  as  the 
heirs  of  our  believing  forefathers,  are  urged 
to  look  to  Jesus  as  the  "author  and  finisher" 
of  faith.  Great  verses  these:  "Wherefore, 
seeing  we  also  are  compassed  about  with  so 
great  a  cloud  of  witnesses,  let  us  lay  aside 
every  weight,  and  the  sin  which  doth  so  easi- 
ly beset  us,  and  let  us  run  with  patience  the 
race  that  is  set  before  us,  looking  unto  Jesus 
the  author  and  finisher  of  our  faith;  who  for 
the  joy  that  was  set  before  him  endured  the 
cross,  despising  the  shame,  and  is  set  down  at 
the  right  hand  of  the  throne  of  God."  (Heb. 
12:1,  2.) 

Chapters  12  and  13  contain,  as  the  logical 
terminus  ad  quern  of  all  that  goes  before,  an 
exhortation  to  leave  the  rudiments  of  the 
Gospel  and  press  on  to  higher  levels  of  truth 
and  character;  which  does  not  mean  that  we 
are  to  forsake  the  fundamentals,  but  to 
"leave"  them  as  a  flower  leaves  its  bud,  or  a 
stream  its  fountain,  or  a  growing  youth  his 
childhood  in  pressing  on  toward  the  fulness 

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PAUL'S  LETTERS 

of  the  measure  of  the  stature  of  a  man.  And 
this  is  to  be  done  by  a  constant  increase  in 
faith  as  we  keep  our  eyes  fixed  upon  him  who 
is  "the  author  and  finisher"  of  it. 

And  then  the  benediction,  in  which  the 
anonymous  author  betrays  his  identity:  for 
here  is  the  sign-manual  of  Paul,  "Grace  be 
with  you  all.     Amen." 


167 


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